Longtime Minnesota school employee named 2024 Custodian of the Year

Custodians may be education's unsung heroes, but one from southern Minnesota is anything but after receiving national recognition for his work.

Bob Galewski is a longtime employee of Wabasha-Kellogg High School in Wabasha, Minnesota. On Wednesday, he was named the 2024 Cintas Custodian of the Year — making him the 11th custodian to win the honor.

In a press release , Cintas — a national provider of cleaning and other industrial supplies — says Galewski was presented a $10,000 check during a "surprise" ceremony.

“School custodians do more than keep facilities clean and safe, they’re often support systems for the community,” Cintas Senior Marketing Director John Rudy said in a statement. “It’s clear Bob cares about the well-being of each student at his school and does all he can to help them succeed.”

The company says Bob is "not just a custodian," but an important figure to the students he serves:

"He is a friend, a support system, and the students’ supporter. Students say, 'You can always count on him.' When they come back late from a track meet, for example, he will go out of his way to unlock the doors so they can gather their belongings before heading home. He views his job as not just about keeping the school clean. He works to make genuine, meaningful connections with each student and staff member. Every year, Bob even gives the dance team an incredible motivational speech to excite student-athletes before competitions. He shows he cares about every single student."

- Cintas

In addition to his $10K check, Galewski will also receive "$5,000 in Cintas and Rubbermaid Commercial Products and services for his school," while the school itself will get a facility assessment valued at $20,000.

Wabasha-Kellogg High School students and staff will also get a pizza party, but for Galewski, the perks don't end there. Cintas says he and the two other top three finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Las Vegas for the annual convention of the ISSA, a.k.a. the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association .

The Rochester Post-Bulletin says Galewski was one of "several thousand custodians" to be nominated for the award nationwide.