A Texas school custodian who worked at her district for nearly four decades was left with tears of joy after she was told a school will be named in her honor.
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school → work → honor
Marilyn Hampton, 76, thought she was invited to an Aubrey Independent School District board meeting on October 21 to talk about a community engagement initiative.
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she → think → initiative
But instead, the board of trustees informed Hampton that the district’s fifth elementary school will be named after her.
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school → inform → her
The trustees said: ‘For 39 years as a custodian in Aubrey ISD, Marilyn Hampton’s hands and heart embraced and cared for so many.
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hands → say → many
It’s only fitting that the Aubrey ISD Board of Trustees chose to put her name on a building.
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Board → ’ → building
‘As a retired and dedicated Chaparral, she continues to commit time to our district, and because of her, we stand taller.’
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we → continue → her
Superintendent Shannon Saylor lauded the custodian as a role model and said she was a mentor for all students and staff.
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she → laud → students
‘She is truly Aubrey ISD,’ she told WFAA.
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she → tell → WFAA
The Marilyn Hampton Elementary School is scheduled to start welcoming students in August next year.
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School → schedule → August
Marilyn Hampton, 76, had worked for Aubrey Independent School District for 39 years before retiring as a janitor and custodian
Hampton rolled out a red carpet and got teary when she saw her name written on it
The unexpected honor unfolded when Saylor asked Hampton to roll out a red carpet during the board meeting.
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Saylor → work → meeting
The custodian, who had handled such tasks throughout her career, placed the carpet in front of the speaker’s podium.
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who → handle → podium
The superintendent invited Hampton to the podium and said: ‘She may not have the official title of an educator, but she was in every meaningful sense a teacher and an educator at heart,’ according to a video the school shared on social media.
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school → invite → media
Hampton looked at the carpet and began to cry when she saw her name.
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she → look → name
You all are the best,’ she said, as all the members in attendance hugged her.
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members → say → her
Hampton worked for the district for 39 years before retiring as a janitor and custodian in 2022, WFAA reported.
She continued working with the district to take care of young learners in the Aubrey ISD Early Bird Learning Center.
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She → work → Center
Hampton now spends her time taking care of a little girl named Claire at the center.
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Hampton → spend → center
‘Whoever thought a janitor would have a school named after them.
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school → think → them
It's an honor that I never thought in my lifetime I would have seen.
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I → think → lifetime
It's not anything I could have even imagined,’ Hampton told the outlet.
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Hampton → imagine → outlet
The Marilyn Hampton Elementary School is scheduled to start welcoming students in August next year
While Hampton waits to see her name go up, the school board gifted her a T-shirt with a Marilyn Hampton Elementary School logo on it
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held once the building is ready
‘I couldn’t have done what I did without my amazing team throughout the years,’ Hampton told The Daily Mail.
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Hampton → schedule → Mail
‘God sent me the best!
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God → send → best
I need to step back a little right now,’ she added.
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she → need → ?
Hampton said she once felt like she had failed in life because she did not get a chance to attend college.
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she → say → college
However, she eventually realised what her path was, she said.
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she → realise → ?
‘I just thought, ‘You know, Marilyn?
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You → think → ?
God put you where you are supposed to be.’
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you → put → you
And I’m very happy with the way things turned out,” she told the outlet.
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she → ’m → outlet
‘When I could help a kid and turn their smile up instead of down, that's what I wanted to do,’ she added.
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she → help → what
Beyond her usual duties, Saylor said Hampton would help with getting school supplies and run the ticket booth at the football games.
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Hampton → say → games
She also helped students study for tests and served as a constant uplifting presence in their lives.
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students → help → lives
‘Her teaching legacy that she left behind about being kind, working hard, continue to persevere and overcome,’ Saylor said.
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Saylor → leave → that
While Hampton waits to see her name go up, the school board gifted her a T-shirt with a Marilyn Hampton Elementary School logo on it.
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board → wait → it
‘All I can say is God is good.
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God → say → ?
Thank you, everybody, for all the sweet things you said,’ Hampton said.
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Hampton → thank → things
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held once the building is ready, which will be followed by a dedication ceremony after the 2027-2028 school year begins.
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year → cut → ceremony