Mahtomedi school custodian makes lunchroom connections through questions
By Mary Divine
Published on March 22, 2026.
Derek Huseby, a custodian at Mahtomedi Middle School in Minneapolis, has created a weekly conversation starter to connect with students and make them feel safe. Twice a week, he prints out a question and tapes it above the bins in the cafeteria. On Thursdays, he conducts an informal poll using two metal bins filled with water, and students answer the correct answers using a riddle. The first girl and first boy to answer the right question on special Fridays win a cookie. These efforts have been seen as encouraging by students as they grow up. Huseb, who is 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, started working at the school last fall and is responsible for sorting students' lunch waste.
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