“My entire family is Cuban immigrants,” says Raul Garcia. “I was born in the US and grew up in Little Havana where people worked any job they could to make ends meet. Maybe that’s what instilled my work ethic and drive, watching my grandmother going to a sewing factory and my grandfather picking fruits in Homestead and my mom working hard to get her education.”

Raul has been the Principal of Southwood Middle School since 2015, and while the school’s performance records are a testament to his own hard work, his reputation is far from that of an administrator with his nose to the grindstone. Raul rarely wears suits, dressing in Southwood’s school uniform and brightly colored sneakers instead. He also spends so much time interacting with students that he’s often mistaken for a security guard or an IT worker by those who don’t know him.

“When I was in school, I only saw my principals in the yearbook,” Raul explains. “I never saw them in the hallways or talked to them. So when I became a Principal, I wanted to make sure I provided what I had wanted as a student.” He adds that being visible and listening to kids helps him and his staff encourage the students to succeed. “Nobody wants to come here and be bored and be lectured to. We want to add fun to the equation. If you’re having fun, if you’re involved, your aspect of school totally changes and then your attitude towards learning becomes positive.”

The school’s report cards prove that Raul’s methods have been successful. “Last year, Southwood broke every single academic record that we had as far as scoring the highest school grades that we’ve ever generated.” But instead of taking all the credit himself, Raul—a former teacher before he became a Principal—thinks of himself as a team member instead of a team leader and gives his staff most of the accolades. “My goal as Principal is to be the oil in the car,” he explains. “Not the tires, not the steering wheel, just the oil, because I can make everything go smoother. I give my teachers the liberty and freedom to be their best selves, and my job is just to make everybody else’s job easier.”

Overseeing more than 1,000 students might seem like a heavy responsibility, but it’s one that Raul relishes. The reward he gives himself is walking the halls and visiting classrooms to witness Southwood’s positivity firsthand. “The best parts of my day are not in the office,” he says. “It’s when I’m out and about and I see the students perform and I see their talents. And those that you’re mentoring, you see them overcome their adversities. That’s the candy in my day.”

As Southwood’s longest-serving Principal, Raul has also spent a lot of time out and about in Palmetto Bay. “It has great parents and kids, and it’s awesome how much the neighbors support each other,” he says. “I think the parks system is a sign of how healthy the community is because you see everybody playing sports, having picnics, walking around, enjoying life, and that’s a good indicator of where Palmetto Bay is socially as far as the community is concerned.” 

Mr. Garcia, thank you for being such a passionate and positive force in our Village school system!

#PalmettoBayProud #HispanicHeritage2022