For the past fifteen years, campus assistant and staff member Oscar Paniagua has been a part of the BVH community. Throughout his journey in BVH, he has created friendships with many staff and students, creating a fun and safe environment around campus. From first starting at BVH as a sub-campus assistant to then later becoming a permanent campus assistant, Paniagua has reflected how much BVH has helped him grow over the years.
“I love working here. I expect a lot because I interact a lot with the students. One time, years ago, an old student gave me a hug and said ‘Hi, Oscar.’ He asked me if I was still working at BVH. Many students who go here still recognize me and I like it,” Paniagua said.
Growing up in Mexico City, Paniagua was able to experience college and work at the same time. He planned to move to California as he realized there would be more diverse options when looking for work. Paniagua’s journey in his old home was not easy, but it got him to where he is at now.
“I moved over here because there were more opportunities here. When I was living [in Mexico], it was not easy for me because I had no choice but to finish high school. During college, I had to work fulltime and be a fulltime student, so in my classes I was sleeping, [which] wasn’t easy. [I moved here because] it gave me chances to develop my personal skills,” Paniagua said.
Now as a member of BVH, Paniagua uses his experiences to have small talks and converse with students and staff about school, work and their days. Many students feel that having a person like Paniagua on campus helps foster a positive environment, creating a productive attitude in students.
“It’s nice to talk to someone who actually wants to put an effort into talking to students who are not your friend but an actual adult. It’s nice to have someone to talk to that has experience,” sophomore Charrissa Dela Cruz said.
Paniagua first began working at BVH when his twenty-year career in construction came to an end when he broke his foot. Upon coming to BVH, Paniagua’s only and first language was Spanish. Over the years, Paniagua has been able to successfully learn and communicate with students in English, further helping him better his lingual skills.
“Interacting with the students is my favorite part because I can also practice my English. Although sometimes students have been mean and they have bullied me about my English, I don’t care, I still like to practice,” Paniagua said.
Throughout his time working, Paniagua has also been able to create friendships among staff members. As he discusses with other campus assistants and administration on a daily basis, he has the opportunity to talk to others about his life experiences. Many staff find his experiences informative as he describes his activities after work as well.
“He is very knowledgeable about other things outside of work. He has done real estate and his wife has a cleaning company [which he helps in]. He knows about everything if you ask him questions about business or anything other than work or school related,” BVH Secretary Jacqueline Hernandez said.
Since Paniagua has worked in a school environment for numerous years, he has learned what types of situations students encounter. Paniagua tries helping these students to stop acting on bad decisions by keeping an eye on them whenever he can.
“I like the work and [what] I do here. I try to help the students feel secure and ensure that nothing is going to happen. I would also like to try and help with the smoking situation. They have to know that it is not good to smoke and it’s bad for their health,” Paniagua said.
BVH staff have observed Paniagua’s effort to help students and try to make the best of his day. Many applaud him for the positive attitude he brings to school every day and the effort he puts into keeping the campus safe. Panaiagua has influenced the school and its community members, leaving an impact on them while at school.
“He is very caring, he always likes to do his job. He works as security so he goes out there and makes sure things like the bathrooms are safe. If there is a call that there is a stranger on campus, he makes sure everybody identifies themselves,” Hernandez said.
Students who know Paniagua feel as if he is an important part of the community. Dela Cruz, who first met Paniagua through her sister in the beginning of her freshman year, would always enjoy conversing with him whenever she had the chance to.
“When I talk to him, he brightens my day with silly jokes and things like that. Sometimes when I am low on energy, just talking to him makes me gain my social battery back,” Dela Cruz said.
As Paniagua continues to work at BVH, he will also continue to meet and brighten students’ days and lives. Looking forward to retiring in in three years, Paniagua puts in all his time during school hours and is still a help outside of work. Many people see Paniagua as an important part of the BVH.
“Oscar is a very caring person, very friendly, he loves working with students and he is very energetic. He is very positive and he is always jumping to help out any teacher or student when he is needed,” Hernandez said.
