Community Interview: Pete Ceniceros
Youth Voices is working with students from Mountain View High School to explore El Monte/South El Monte and the surrounding communities. The students have formed teams to explore and investigate their communities, map assets, collect and share stories, data and community input for their projects. All the while they are learning and expanding their knowledge of digital media and civic engagement. Follow their work hereand on Instagram and Twitter by using #kcetyv.
Flower Bears wants to build a memorial garden dedicated to Bobby Salcedo, an important and loved member of the Mountain View High School (MVHS) community who tragically died in Mexico. Building a memorial garden in MVHS is not easy, one main factor is the maintenance of the garden. There must already be a water system in the area where the garden is to be located. We decided that we needed to speak to an expert on the maintenance of the school grounds and someone who has knowledge of how to maintain a garden.
Pete Ceniceros, a maintenance 2 professional, is a great individual to interview regarding the school grounds and water systems throughout the campus. Mr. Ceniceros is very familiar with the campus and on identifying all the needs of a new garden, including the water systems, and the type of equipment needed to maintain a garden. Mr. Ceniceros has worked at MVHS for two years.
Bobby Salcedo had a large impact on MVHS. A memorial garden is one way to thank him for his work with students, teachers, and staff members. Since it is a garden, it must be maintained properly so that, in its beauty and emphasis on environmental stewardship, truly commemorates Mr. Salcedo's lasting legacy and ultimately becomes an important part of what Mountain View High School represents. "I think [the garden] should be a daily [basis] job." said Mr. Ceniceros.
Mr. Ceniceros said that an irrigation system is already in place in the current location identified for the garden. Maintenance has the right equipment to create and maintain a garden on campus. None-the-less he did suggest a different place for a garden -- near the batting cages next to the baseball field. "I'm for [the garden], the current location is good, but I feel like it should be moved." He explained that the memorial garden would be isolated in the planned area which is behind the JV baseball field. Mr. Ceniceros proposed the garden be moved to the area next to the Varsity baseball field. "There is a huge unused space there, and since it is right next to the baseball field it will get more noticed."
Regardless of where the garden is ultimately planted, Mr. Ceniceros believes that the creation of a memorial garden will impact Mountain View students and others. "We can make the garden all beautiful and [everyone] will hang around the garden and [students and staff] will enjoy it."
