A Denver Public Schools employee worked his way from janitor to principal.

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Michael Atkins started his career with the school district as a custodian and was recently named principal of Stedman Elementary, a school he once attended, KUSA reported.

"I took pride in the bathrooms I cleaned. I took pride in the rooms that I vacuumed," Atkins told KUSA.

Atkins was working as a custodian for the district when he ran into his second grade teacher from Stedman, who influenced him to go into the classroom and become a teacher.

From there, he worked his way into administration and back to Stedman.

"I'm home. I'm home. This is home for me," Atkins told KUSA.

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A rendering of the columbarium memorial that is estimated to be completed by next summer or fall in the southeast part of Oakland Cemetery, officials said. (Courtesy of Historic Oakland Foundation)

Credit: Historic Oakland Foundation