How does life change after being named the top of the crop? According to Arlington's William Blackwell, not much.
Blackwell, a grounds mechanic for Arlington Public Schools’ maintenance department, was honored on Thursday, Sept. 26, as "Support Services Employee of the Year." So how is he celebrating this week? By going to work, just like he has for the past 22 years. "There's a little bit of teasing, but other than that, not much [has changed]," he said. "The work goes on."
That kind of attitude toward the job is part of what made Blackwell's coworkers single him out as an outstanding employee.
At Thursday's ceremony, Superintendent Robert Smith read from nomination letters extolling Blackwell’s virtues, which described him as "a well-respected, dedicated, and loyal individual who can be counted on for help at a moment's notice."
According to Blackwell's supervisor, "He goes the extra mile to do his very best and to perform at the highest level possible," and performs all those tasks with a "smile on his face and a positive attitude."
At the ceremony, Blackwell was appreciative, saying, "School Board and Dr. Smith, thank you for this honor. To my bosses… and those who voted for me, thank you very much. I don't know what to say here tonight — I'm excited, I'm pleased, I'm happy. Thank you."
On Monday, hard at work again, Blackwell again reflected on the recognition: "It means a lot. I guess people notice how hard I work, and my efforts for the schools."
So what does the future hold for the employee of the year? More service to Arlington schools. "As long as I have health, I'm going to continue to work," he said.