You’ve seen him in the cafeteria, or maybe in the hallways. He’s always carrying around a trash can or maybe a broom. He’s an unknown presence or maybe a friend to some, But he’s certainly much more than a custodian. His name is Victor Raucho and he is a custodian at East High School. Here is an inside look at his life in and out of East.
Q: Why did you choose this position?
A: “About 16 years ago they told me that there was an opening position here, but they said you may not like it because its East and it’s big, but I always want to try things, so I tried, and I liked it because the students and we connected. “I connected with all the students and staff and my coworkers,” Raucho said.
Q: What’s your favorite part about this position?
A: “My favorite part about East is when I talk to the kids and I’m doing my job. Sometimes if they’re bad they have to do some type of community hours, and so they bring them to me, and I help them out and talk to them about trying to do the right thing.”
Q: What annoys you about your job?
A: “There’s only one thing that annoys me and it’s what the seniors did, like throw eggs and toilet paper so high, and we don’t have the equipment to clean it I hate knowing that it’s there and I can’t clean it,” Raucho said.
Q: How long have you been here?
A: “I came in 2007, so on my way to 15 years this November”, Raucho said.
Q: What do you do outside of school?
A: “I like to spend time with my daughter and my grand kids, and go and watch football games,” Raucho said.
Q: What are some of your goals outside of your job?
A: “I want to open my own company with lawn mower service and I’m going to be working extra hours and part time so that I can get everything ready, that’s my goal,” Raucho said.
Q: What are some of your dreams?
A: “My dream is kind of the same as my goal I want to be able to start my own company and then retire and go to Mexico and come back and enjoy life,” Raucho said.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: “Not really any I’m always busy because I have two jobs, I don’t really have time, but I started practicing guitar,” Raucho said.
Q: What’s a memory you’ll never forget from working here at East?
A: “ I remember the first time I was working in the cafeteria and there was a girl crying because she didn’t want to be here and it was her first day from another country, I tried to talk to her and tell her that we are in the same position right now I’m just new here, but I think we got to be positive and move on and try so I did and she did and that’s why I’ve stayed here so long,” Raucho said.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
A: “I’d just like to thank you for taking your time to talk to me I know you guys are busy with school and stuff like that, for you guys to take time its really something for me and I appreciate it and you and your teachers, because I know people like you guys are the ones who keep the school the way it is in a positive way.” “I’d like to thank your class and your teachers who involve us in your daily things that you do,” Raucho said.