US schools are often named after presidents, historical figures and civil rights leaders. And soon joining those ranks is a retired longtime Texas school custodian known for going above and beyond her duties by buying classroom supplies for children in need and helping students with their assignments.

That heartwarming story centers on Marilyn Hampton, whose former employer of 39 years – the Aubrey independent school district (AISD) – recently moved to rename its new elementary school No 5 in her honor.

The AISD’s tribute, announced at a 21 October governing board meeting recorded on video, brought Hampton to joyful tears and quickly went viral among circles dedicated to promoting uplifting news stories.

“I still can’t believe it,” Hampton later told the Dallas-Forth Worth news outlet WFAA. “I haven’t stopped crying.”

Before retiring in 2022, Hampton spent 39 years as an AISD custodian. But, as officials would later say, she took on much more than custodial work in her role, assisting students with their classwork; buying and delivering them school supplies if they needed them; and staffing the ticket booth at football games.

Thousands of AISD students, teachers and staff members came to draw inspiration from Hampton’s commitment, according to the district’s superintendent, Shannon Saylor.

So the AISD ultimately decided to invite her to its October meeting under the guise of speaking about a particular school-related issue – then Saylor asked her to unroll a red carpet and read what was emblazoned on it in navy blue letters.

It said: “Marilyn Hampton Elementary School.”

“She may not have the official title of an educator – but she was in every meaningful sense a teacher and educator at heart,” Saylor remarked in reference to the namesake of the new school under construction and scheduled to open in August.

An emotional Hampton replied, “Y’all are too good.” Covering her mouth, she continued: “I wasn’t expecting this. Thank y’all. I love all of y’all – always miss y’all.”

She then composed herself and gazed at a monitor with an AI rendering of the school and a sign on it bearing her name. “They better keep it clean,” Hampton joked, eliciting loud laughter among those at the meeting.

When she reflected on the distinction with WFAA, she wore a new Marilyn Hampton elementary school T-shirt and recounted how she was the only one of eight siblings to graduate high school. She told the station she used to consider herself a failure for not going to college – but in time became “very happy with the way things turned out”.

She added: “I just thought, You know, Marilyn? God put you where you are supposed to be.’”