October 2, 2025 -- As head custodian at Columbus City Preparatory School for Boys (CCPSB), Wayne Walker takes pride in the first impression his building makes.
“I want my building to look good on the outside,” Walker said. “Because when people ride by your school and see the outside, they imagine what is on the inside.”
The gleam in his voice matches the shine of the school’s freshly buffed floors. Walker beams when he recalls the compliments he received from city officials and school administrators during the school’s annual tie-tying ceremony in September. The event-an annual rite of passage for the school’s scholars, welcomes leaders from across the city.
The recognition is well earned. For Walker, custodial work is more than a job; it’s a calling nurtured since middle school.
While a student at Mifflin Middle School, he enrolled in Occupational Work Adjustment, a career-based intervention program for students facing academic or career barriers. Each morning, he spent two hours assisting the custodian at South Mifflin Elementary before catching the bus to Mifflin for classes that stretched from noon to 6 p.m.
Those early mornings sweeping hallways and learning the ropes left a lasting impression, shaping not just his work ethic but his outlook on mentorship and opportunity.
“As I became head custodian and thought about that program years ago, I figured I turned out pretty good,” Walker said with a smile. “I didn’t go to college after high school but I had hands-on experience, and kids need that. They need that mentorship.”
Walker’s training didn’t stop there. While attending Mifflin High School, he gained further hands-on learning at Southeast Career Center, where he earned a brick-and-block masonry certification. After graduation, he worked in construction for a decade before opening his own custodial business. Eventually, he brought his skills to Columbus City Schools (CCS).
Over the past 24 years, Walker has become a fixture in the district. Nineteen of those years were spent as a head custodian, starting at West Mound Elementary before long stints at Yorktown Middle School and now at CCPSB. Along the way, he worked evenings at Briggs High School and filled in as a substitute custodian—learning the ins and outs of every corner of the district.
But Walker’s story isn’t only about polished hallways. Mentorship has always been at the center of his work. For 20 years, he coached Little League football. Within CCS, he’s coached girls basketball—14 seasons at Yorktown and two at Medina.
Coaching has shaped how he relates to students. He believes in showing respect, meeting students where they are, and finding teachable moments—even during custodial duties. Many students, he said, have offered to help over the years. Sometimes it’s part of restorative practices, other times it’s simply because they want to pitch in.
“They want to help and do well,” Walker said. “I figured that’s my part of giving back, where each student is highly educated, prepared for leadership and service, for success as a citizen in the global community.”
His coworkers see the joy he brings to the role. Walker is often heard whistling or breaking into Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” as he makes his rounds, a soundtrack to his steady leadership.
Dr. Michael Warren, principal of CCPSB, said Walker has become a vital role model for students.
“He is here to work,” Warren said. “He is here to serve. And he always says, ‘I want to do better.’ His dependability and accountability—for himself, his team, and his students—are the kinds of qualities we want our young men to emulate.”
For Walker, the journey from middle school helper to veteran head custodian has come full circle. The lessons he learned decades ago—about responsibility, pride, and mentorship—are now lessons he passes on daily to the next generation. As a Leader Grown Here, he channels his custodial role into growing future leaders in CCS.
CCS thanks Walker for his dedicated service—and extends appreciation to all district custodians—as part of National School Custodian Appreciation Day.
