October 24, 2022
Mary Joseph loves Kingwood High School.
For the past 25 years, Joseph has worked on campus first as a custodian and for the past 22 years as the Head Custodian.
It is the tireless work to ensure that Kingwood High School is in pristine condition at all times that caught the attention of Kingwood football head coach Cale Melton. Because of her dedication to the Kingwood community, Melton nominated Joseph for the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Community Connector Award presented by Optimum.
“She works tirelessly, just making sure everything is clean,” Melton said. “Making sure the stadiums are done, she is on them. As soon as the game is over she’s got people out there. They’re making sure this place is spotless. We do team dinners for all sports and she helps set up the rooms for them, the cafeteria and then takes it down and cleans it up. Everything in this school runs through her.
“She’s a very humble lady, but she works so hard in the background of everything. This place wouldn’t be able to run without somebody like her.”
The award is meant to “celebrate the achievements of community difference makers year-round both on and off the field. In October, Joseph was selected as one of 15 statewide recipients of the award.
“I was really excited, very pleased and happy that they recognized me, which they have always told me that they appreciate what I do, but to be nominated for the award that was much more special,” Joseph said.
At a Kingwood football game, Joseph was honored with a personalized football and a $1,000 donation to the Mustangs football program in her name. The football is at her home now and Joseph’s grandson wants it and to put it in a glass case to be displayed in his room.
“I love it and to see my name on it and to know my grandbaby wants to keep it and keep it safe and not play with it.”
Being at the same place for 25 years, Joseph has watched thousands of students, teachers and administrators walk through the doors. Now, she even has former students coming back with their own kids attending the school.
“To see them coming in with their own families and the new ones coming in, I love it,” she said.
When Melton first arrived at Kingwood High School in March 2020, Joseph was among the first people to welcome him to the school.
Joseph is a person that Melton says you can tell “genuinely cares about people” and is someone that he wants the players in his program to look up to.
“To me, community is big,” Melton said. “That is a part of our vision statement is not only to be champions on the field, in the classroom and in life. That’s that servant leader type thing. This shows them that there’s people behind the scenes that make things go. It shows you what a true servant leader is. Someone who doesn’t care what her title is. She does her job, she works hard and does it with a smile on her face.”
At the end of the season, all 15 communities will rally the vote on TexasFootball.com to help name their school the Community Connection School of the Year and recipient of the $2,500 grand prize.