After working as a custodian at Woodland Middle School in East Point, Georgia for nearly five years, Herbert Perkinson was up for a promotion to head janitor. But there was one thing holding him back from the position, it requires a high school diploma or a GED and the 81-year-old didn’t have one.
School principal Michael Blankenship encouraged Perkinson to try to earn his GED and this summer, he worked toward that goal. With help from his daughter and grandson, Perkinson studied and prepared, while working full-time, and his hard work has paid off. He’s passed his test to receive his GED and school leaders are set to offer him the head custodian position.
“I’m glad I can serve as a role model to some,” Perkinson explains. “My young grandson came to me about not wanting to finish school. After I told him my story, he’s determined to go to college.”