This fall, Aurelio “Junior” Carrillo was recognized by the Green California Schools Leadership Awards, which honors outstanding sustainability projects on school campuses. The HVAC mechanic was named a Pioneer for his efforts to make lighting systems more efficient in JUSD. He and other winners were celebrated during the annual Green California Schools Summit.
“I was surprised,” shared Mr. Carrillo, who describes himself as not one for "basking in the light," focused instead on making the most of everything that happens to him. "It’s humbling. I’m just one of the many maintenance guys that work for Jurupa Unified that come in and do their due diligence, do a great job. I’m just really blessed to have been awarded.”
Not long ago, during a fire emergency, members of the Jurupa Valley community were evacuated from their homes and housed at Patriot High School. The evacuation extended beyond school hours into the night. This meant that JUSD maintenance staff, who work day shifts, were not present to operate the lighting system, which at the time required their oversight.
Fortunately, because of preparation previously completed by Mr. Carrillo, Maintenance and Operations was able to swiftly update the lighting system, granting the ability to override lights and turn them on remotely from a phone. As a result, JUSD staff onsite could operate the lights without calling in technicians. Beyond the emergency benefits, this technology also saves energy and contributes to districtwide efficiency.
“This proves the importance of having staff who are open-minded and willing to integrate new technology and improvements, as it provided us mobile override control at our fingertips,” shared Ricardo Solis, JUSD Energy Education Manager and supervisor to Mr. Carrillo.
Always pushing for progress and innovation, Mr. Solis was proud to nominate Mr. Carrillo for the award. “As a district, we strive to be open to continuous improvement opportunities with the use of innovative, 21st Century technologies,” shared Mr. Solis. “[Mr. Carrillo] is always willing to explore new products and software solutions to deliver the best services possible for our staff and students while maintaining a focus on the importance of sustainability.”
Mr. Carrillo has been with the District for 16 years. He attended JUSD schools from elementary through high school and joined the Maintenance and Operations team after completing his degree at Cal Poly Pomona. “I really enjoy what I do. I’ve always been one for serving others,” he said when asked about workplace motivation. “And I have little ones at home, so I think about them, too.”
Mr. Carrillo strives to set an example for his children and to be a good steward for future generations. In particular, this means always being open to innovative ideas, making sure JUSD equipment is running at high capacity, and completing preventative and yearly maintenance for the District.
“We all play a vital role in sustainability,” stated Mr. Carrillo. “There is no insignificant role. We all impact in one way or another.”
