Students show their appreciation for school janitor by making him 'King for a Day'
When he arrived at Sand Hill Elementary School and was handed a crown and a cape, John Lockett knew it wasn't going to be a typical day at work.
Lockett, 83, spent the last decade as a janitor at the school in Carrollton, Georgia. Before coming to Sand Hill, he had a long career in construction, and after notifying the school that he was finally ready to retire, the staff decided to send him off in style. With the help of his wife, Annie Lockett, and the students, an elaborate "King for a Day" celebration was planned.
On the day of the surprise, Lockett was greeted by 685 kids, who chanted "Mr. John! Mr. John!" and let him know that it was officially "Mr. John Day." The students made posters and cards, decorated the school with balloons, and let Lockett know how much he meant to them. "He was so surprised that he just cried with the kids," principal Carla Meigs told Good Morning America. "It was so sweet. He is very humble, hardworking, just dedicated to the job. He is as good as they come." Lockett said the school "means so much" to him, and he "loves the kids." Catherine Garcia
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Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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