A bittersweet departure: Veteran campus supervisor says goodbye to BHS

Campus Supervisor Jesse Aranda has seen two to three generations of students pass through the halls of Bakersfield High School.

And, like great teachers, he's formed a bond with many of those students over his long career.

Now, Aranda has decided it's time for him to hang up his radio. The last day of school, May 31, will be his final sign off as "Unit 1."

"This graduating class is just amazing," Aranda said last week as he climbed the steps to Harvey Auditorium on the BHS campus. "It's one of the classes I will never forget."

In fact, earlier that morning, before classes started, a group of students called the campus supervisor to the student parking lot where they served him a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and pancakes.

It was a sign of their affection and respect, and a way for the students to say goodbye.

"Jesse is a pillar of the BHS community, and has been as long as I remember. He cares deeply about his students, which is evident from your first interaction with him," said graduating senior Ethan Taft.

The young man lauded Aranda and the whole security team at BHS, who, he said, do "a wonderful job" in what can sometimes be a tough environment.

"Anytime there is a threat to campus, the security staff make every effort to protect the 3,000-plus students," the 12th-grader said.

"We have been very lucky to go to school with Jesse, and have a reliable, compassionate and supportive member of the staff on our side."

Later that evening, Aranda was scheduled to give a speech during the baccalaureate ceremony at the Harvey. He had been chosen by the senior class to be one of the speakers. It was the second time he had been given this honor.

David Reese, who served 20 years as principal at BHS before his retirement in 2019, said all the kids loved Aranda because he was a role model.

And they knew he carried a deep love for the historic school.

"His own kids graduated from BHS," Reese said. "What campus supervisor, who had to deal with breaking up fights, would have his own children enroll at BHS?"

Someone who knew the real value of the school.

Aranda was born in 1962 and was raised in Bakersfield as the middle of five children. He graduated in 1981 from East Bakersfield High, where he enjoyed theater productions and spinning records as a popular DJ, according to a timeline put together by veteran BHS math teacher Tamara Clark, a huge fan of the veteran security man.

Aranda attended police academy through Bakersfield College and worked his first job in law enforcement as a police department patrol officer in McFarland.

He later joined the Kern County Sheriff's Office and married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Weeks, in 1985.

In the fall of 1986 he made a big change and began work as a campus security officer at Bakersfield High School to pursue his passion of working with young adults.

After Aranda served three graduating classes at BHS, his wife Carolyn, then working for Mobil Oil, was transferred to Dallas, Texas, where they lived for nearly five years.

Carolyn's transfer back to Bakersfield in spring 1993 brought Jesse back home to BHS, where he picked up where he left off as a campus supervisor, Clark wrote.

"I met Jesse last year when I was a freshman," BHS student Claire Michael said. "He was always super sweet with me, and seeing him quickly became one of my favorite parts of the day.

"He’s helped me a lot," she said, "throughout these last two years. … Although I’ll miss Jesse, I’m happy that he’ll get a restful stress-free retirement."

Known for his calm presence, cheering on the students while simultaneously standing sentry for their welfare and safety, Aranda will surely be missed this fall at BHS.

His favorite saying is "Study hard, Drillers," and he's known for passing out blue and white pencils to students with that very motto emblazoned on them.

"The story behind that is, back in the day, they always sent kids out of class if they were not prepared, if they didn't have a pencil," he said.

"I always found it better for me to just give them a pencil … and send them back to class."

Over the years he started having pencils made in the school colors, blue and white, with his motto emblazoned on them: "Study hard, Drillers."

This year, the pencils include his name and the dates 1986-2024.

Reese, the former principal, said Aranda stood out in his field. Reese had anywhere from seven to nine campus supervisors working on a daily basis with students.

"Jesse was the veteran of the group who worked for me for the 20 years that I was principal, and obviously prior to that as well," Reese said. "Some supervisors came across as straight law and order and never got close to the students. Some were too nice and got trampled on.

"Jesse was unique, in that he built relationships," he said. "Some would call it 'tough love.' It was the kind of relationship that many great teachers have: Create high expectations for students but make it in a positive learning environment that allows each student to attain success in their unique manner."

Reese described BHS as the most diverse school in the district, maybe in the Central Valley.

"Some graduates go on to Ivy League schools and some struggle to graduate.

"Jesse understood that," he said.

Finding that delicate balance between being a soft touch and coming off like a drill sergeant, that's the balance Aranda was somehow able to reach.

"I preached the song lyrics, 'Stay humble and kind' (by Tim McGraw) every day to my staff.

"Jesse was the epitome of that."