Not much escapes the awareness of Lakshmi Fuentes, principal secretary at Oveta Culp Hobby Elementary School.
Her frequent guests can’t help but notice she’s a fan of an animated alien Stitch as in Lelo and Stitch, and the Hawaiian concept of ohana (family). The little blue alien is a large part of her office décor.
She sees Hobby Elementary School as a family and does everything she can to make sure no one gets left behind.
Her desire to help others explains why she is a winner of a Killeen ISD STEEL Award for the month of February.
“Her unwavering commitment to service is demonstrated through 19 years of dedicated work in Killeen ISD, all of which has been at Oveta Culp Hobby Elementary, where she continues to provide exceptional support to students, staff and families,” said Principal Alena Thomas.
She started at Hobby Elementary as a classroom aide, where she loved helping students and their families.
Innately curious, Fuentes said she moved into other arenas in the school, learning as she went until landing in the principal’s secretary position, where she uses all of her knowledge and is seen as a sort of ambassador to all who pass through the school.
A military wife and mother, she is attuned to the needs of the military lifestyle and committed to making sure no one is life behind and everyone is part of the school family.
In 2008, with her husband serving in a distant duty station, Fuentes chose to stay in the Fort Hood area and got a job at Hobby Elementary School on post. She was a classroom aide in several areas.
“I wanted to keep growing and I applied for a secretary position.” After working in attendance, she eventually moved into the principal secretary job, where she is currently.
“My heart is at Hobby,” she said. “Coming from different backgrounds, it was hard to get a job. I was able to overcome obstacles and my first job in Texas was at Hobby.”
“I love the staff. I have great connections with the staff. I want to find solutions for everything,” Fuentes explained.
“I love my job. I technically run the school.” Accounting, purchasing, childcare and assisting teachers are part of her regular work. “I like to take care of everybody and give everyone what they need.”
When district leaders arrived on campus to present the principal secretary the surprise award, she was of course, suspicious.
Thomas told her one of the counselors was going to receive an award and that she should wait in her office until it was time. “So, I felt like something odd was happening and I wasn’t in on it,” she said.
“Then, they called me in, and I was celebrating thinking it was someone else.”
“It was an honor for me, a big honor. I know my work is appreciated because people tell me. Still, I don’t like to be recognized. It was a surprise.”
STEEL stands for Supporting the Education and Empowerment of Learners. KISD honors two employees a month during the school year.