Pike Road man up for ‘Custodian of the Year’

PIKE ROAD, Ala. (WSFA) - Gerald Carter knows the halls at Pike Road Elementary school well. He’s been the custodian there for six years.

“You’ll never hear him say that’s not my job,” said Pike Road Elementary principal Jeff Hatfield. “He could be 400 yards away, but if you call him because there’s something you need, he will come and help. That’s just who he is.”

If you need a fist bump, Gerald is your guy.

“I probably give out about 800 a day,” said Carter.

A few weeks ago, they surprised Carter. The school nominated him for Cintas Custodian of the Year, and now he’s down to ten finalists from all over the country.

“I was overwhelmed and shocked because I didn’t know anything about it,” said Carter. “I have to thank Mrs. Laura Brigham. She was the one who nominated me. The ball just took off, and it’s been rolling from there.”

“My favorite thing about Gerald is that he’s an advocate for the kids,” said Hatfield. “He comes here every day, and the children flock to him because of his positivity and energy.”

There’s no limit to what he’ll do to help.

“From tying a shoe to changing a light, just call me,” said Carter. “I’m there.”

“He does his job but adds so much more to the culture,” said Hatfield. “It’s pretty cool to see.”

They’ve rolled out the “black carpet” for Mister Gerald, voting for him online every day with about a week to go. The toughest thing for Gerald might be deciding what to do with that $10,000 grand prize if he wins.

“I haven’t had a chance to talk to my wife about what will happen if I win,” said Carter.

It might be time to have that conversation. He’s a rock star on campus and might be the best custodian in the country. You can vote for him too. You have until next Friday to cast your vote. If Gerald wins, he gets $10,000, $1,500 for a professional course, and the school receives $5,000 for a school makeover.

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