Abby Parr
Sugar Beet Staff Reporter
Juan Lozoya has been on staff for the school district for many years now. Lozoya started off his career working at Kenneth Henderson (KH) as a night custodian. He worked at KH for 27 years before getting the job at the high school. Lozoya enjoyed spending a career around students.
“I make memories everyday because I get to talk to the kids. When they need someone to talk to I like being there for them. I hate seeing kids sit alone, so when I see that, I try and go talk or sit with them,” Lozoya said.
He said he can relate to how some of the students feel when they are having an off or bad day.
“When I was younger I didn’t want to go to school, but God had a plan for me and look where I ended up,” Lozoya said.
Lozoya worked at the old high school that is now Horace Good Middle School for three years then started fresh when the new high school was built.
“At first I drove a truck full of all the books that needed to come to the new building. I drove it anywhere from eight to ten hours a day. It was definitely a lot of work,” Lozoya said.
Junior Jade Valdez said she has always had a great relationship with Juan.
“Juan is a really good person. When I came in as a freshmen I sat by myself at lunch. Juan noticed and came and kept me company. Even on the days when it wasn’t going well and you just needed a reminder that everything was going to be okay Juan was the one to remind you,” Valdez said.
Valdez said you would see Lozoya at every event.
“When the high school had any major events you’d always see Juan. He knows where everything is, if you ever needed help finding something you could just ask him. Some days he would be the first one here and the last one to leave,” Valdez said.
Lilly Gutierrez has been one of Lozoya’s coworkers for 11 years now.
“He was a good influence, especially for the kids, I’m going to miss his presence. He was here at 6:30 a.m. everyday so its going to be weird coming into work and not seeing him,” Gutierrez said.
Lozoya always had a good time with his peers.
“Me and Juan always had fun, there’s so many memories I can’t even remember all of them. He was a good person to work with. We never got in arguments or didn’t get along. I learned a lot from him and he will for sure be missed,” Gutierrez said.
Lozoya is undecided as to what he is going to do now that he is retired.
Abby Parr is a health academy sophomore, you can contact her at parra2@student.gckschools.com.
Garden City High School 