Custodian with big heart keeps campus safe for Buffs
Eric Gonzalez is a Manteca High School graduate who is now a custodian and the junior varsity boys soccer coach at his alma mater. (Moises Ramos/The Tower)
“I like to fulfill the needs of the students and the staff to make their lives easier,” Gonzalez said.
By JESUS SARMIENTO
The Tower
Eric Gonzalez sits in front of the cafeteria listening to the muffled voices inside. A cold breeze blows past, but it does nothing to diminish Gonzalez’s warm heart for the people – students, staff and teachers – at Manteca High School.
He looks around the cafeteria and the quad, surveying the students at lunch. He’s a popular figure. Students and staff interact with him. Sometimes it is one. Sometimes it's two or three.
They all leave with a smile.
Eric Gonzalez is a Manteca High School graduate who is now a custodian and the junior varsity boys soccer coach at his alma mater. (Moises Ramos/The Tower)
Gonzalez is a Manteca High School graduate who is now a custodian and the junior varsity boys soccer coach at his alma mater. He has the heart to help the students and the staff.
“I like to fulfill the needs of the students and the staff to make their lives easier,” Gonzalez said.
There are many difficulties when it comes to the life of a custodian at Manteca High School.
Gonzalez likes his work. He wakes up early in the morning to open the doors and the gates for the students and staff. He completes deliveries for many teachers. He keeps the campus as clean as possible for the students and for school’s dedicated events, like rallies, games, college visits and more.
The one thing he does not like is the harsh weather. Rain often brings mud, which makes for a sloppy, dirty work experience.
“Having to deal with a lot of clean up – some days are easier than others,” Gonzalez said.
There are many diverse types of students here at Manteca High School with different personalities and backgrounds. Gonzalez does his best to connect with the students. He can empathize with many of the students at Manteca High because he’s been in their shoes – a Hispanic student looking to navigate high school. More than 60 percent of Manteca’s student population is Hispanic.
Regardless of ethnicity or gender, Gonzalez greets each student with a warm hello because he understands that students might be going through something in life or school. He always tries to communicate with students to try to understand and fit in with them.
As the JV boys soccer coach, he has a certain connection with the teams and the athletes of the campus because it is like a massive family, and they must look out for each other in both sports and in academic.
“I enjoy it. I'm Hispanic too, so I love seeing all the different cultures,” Gonzalez said. “... Sometimes, I reflect and think about how I was in high school, and I do (see myself in today’s students).”
Eric Gonzalez is a Manteca High School graduate who is now a custodian and the junior varsity boys soccer coach at his alma mater. (Moises Ramos/The Tower)