School Celebrates 81-Year-Old Custodian Earning His GED

Earlier this week, students and faculty at Woodland Middle School surprised school custodian Herbert Perkinson with a ceremony recognizing the 81-year old earning his GED.

Perkinson has been custodian at the Bartow County, Ga. school for more than five years. When the head custodian position opened up, Perkinson applied but found himself ineligible as he lacked a high school diploma. Undaunted, “Mister Herbert,” as he is affectionately called by students, spent his summer studying, eventually receiving his GED.

After the school surprised the beloved custodian with party celebrating his achievement, school principal Michael Blankenship then announced that Perkinson had also been promoted to head custodian, WXIA reports.

“It broke my heart and his too that we couldn’t offer him the position at the time [he applied],” said Blankenship. “This man represents that the learning never stops.”