Swedenborg, Missouri – When residents of the small central Missouri community of Swedeborg decided earlier this year to name the main campus building of Swedeborg District III Elementary School, everyone knew it had to be about someone very special.
“It has to be someone you know is right,” student Nate Lein told CBS News.
Throughout history, there have been many national figures who fulfilled that goal. There have also been many famous Missourians who would have been great choices to celebrate and inspire.
But in the end, Swedeborg went with 64-year-old Claudene Wilson, the elementary school’s longtime custodian.
“She really committed herself to this school,” student Eli Huff said.
“You can give her a vacuum cleaner, and she will appreciate it because she really likes to clean,” added student Gunner Jennings.
Wilson is so committed to the school that she has taken on many additional responsibilities over the past 30 years, including welcoming students when they arrive each day, transportation coordination, lunch service, landscaping and facilities operations.
“And the next thing I know, I was leaving at 6 a.m. and coming home around 7:30 p.m.,” Wilson told CBS News of her work schedule.
Her motivation for doing all this?
“Children, the children are in your hearts,” she said.
On August 26, the Swedeborg school board voted unanimously in favor of the new name, the Claudene Wilson Learning Center.
“That’s what makes Claudene what she is,” said Swedeborg School Board President Chuck Boren. “…These kids get sick, you think they go to the nurse to begin with? They go to her. If they’ve had a bad night, they go to her. And she’s there for everyone.”
Today, there is really only one person in the entire community who remains unconvinced that Wilson deserved this honor: Wilson himself.
“It touches your heart, but I don’t think my name needs to be on a building anywhere,” Wilson said.
In the US, most buildings and institutions are named after iconic figures who did great things. And Zwedenborg is no exception. This community just defines greatness a little differently.
Student Alex Lein said he wants to be just like Wilson.
“That’s what everyone should want to be, you know,” Lein said. “That’s what I’d like to be.”
Steve Hartman
