Claudene Wilson, a school custodian from Missouri, had a school building named after her
(CBS Evening News)

‘She is BARBIE’: An elementary school just named its new building after its absurdly impressive custodian

When buildings and schools are named, they’re usually named after larger-than-life historical figures. These kids from Swedeborg, Missouri, have a different idea of what a legend is, though.

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Claudene Wilson is a beloved custodian who has worked in the Missouri school for 30 years. She’s a janitor but has picked up other odd jobs whenever needed. According to CBS News, Wilson also started doing lunch duty, driving the school bus, and doing repairs and landscaping around campus. In honor of Wilson, the students and school board unanimously decided to name their new elementary school building after her. It is now the Claudene Wilson Learning Center.

@cbseveningnews

School custodian Claudene Wilson has worked for the #Swedeborg School District in #Missouri for more than 30 years, always going the extra mile for students. She’s now receiving a special honor for always doing the little things that go a long way. #goodnews #education #elementaryschool #school #cusodian #ontheroad #hopecore #buildin #positivity

♬ original sound – CBSEveningNews

Social media was touched by this story. One TikTok user commented, “She is BARBIE.” It’s an apt comparison, as Barbie has a lot of jobs and she’s also loved by kids. Despite being touted as a legend in her school, Wilson doesn’t think she deserves this much praise. In response, she said, “It touches your heart, but I don’t think my name needs to be up on a building somewhere.”

This legend deserves so much more

Wilson clearly had the kids in mind when she decided to take on extra jobs. The kids at school are also reportedly close to her and often share their troubles with her. On other social media platforms, like X, people have expressed their hope that Wilson is “paid a living wage and will retire with a pension.” Aside from having her name up on a building, everyone online hopes this legendary custodian is compensated fairly for her work.

This woman keeps the building’s lights on and brings the kids to school. She’s spectacular at her job and deserves a hefty payout for all her hard work.

Honestly, it should be standard practice for schools to name their buildings after beloved people in their communities instead of big-name donors. Claudene Wilson is a community fixture. She’s a legend and will be fondly remembered by all the kids she’s helped along the way.


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Vanessa Esguerra
Vanessa Esguerra (She/They) has been a Contributing Writer for The Mary Sue since 2023. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy, she (happily) rejected law school in 2021 and has been a full-time content writer since. Vanessa is currently taking her Master's degree in Japanese Studies in hopes of deepening her understanding of the country's media culture in relation to pop culture, women, and queer people like herself. She speaks three languages but still manages to get lost in the subways of Tokyo with her clunky Japanese. Fueled by iced coffee brewed from local cafés in Metro Manila, she also regularly covers anime and video games while queuing for her next match in League of Legends.