ALAMO HEIGHTS, Texas – At Howard Early Childhood Center, the morning begins with custodian Rafael Narvaez turning on lights, clearing hallways and making sure the campus is ready for pre-K and kindergarten students.
But to the children and staff at the Alamo Heights ISD school, he is much more than the person who keeps the building running. He is “Mr. Ralph,” a beloved staff member known for his kindness, magic tricks and artwork that fills parts of the campus.
Narvaez said he checks the cafeteria, teacher workroom, teacher lounge, gym and library each day as part of his regular duties. Along the way, he has also found ways to connect with students through painting and drawing.
“I love doing artwork for the kids, and they get real happy when they see it,” Narvaez said.
He started doing artwork when he was in middle school, after watching his father constantly drawing. Now, he wants to inspire kids the same way.
His work can be seen across the school. In the library, Narvaez painted ceiling tiles with book titles, including some in Spanish. In the cafeteria, he created a large mural by himself, coming in on Saturdays to work on it.
At the school’s play H-E-B, he added detailed chalk art and said he is already thinking about new ideas for the space.
“To do the art I come over the weekends and sometimes during my lunch break, I’ll eat 30 minutes and the other 30 minutes I’ll draw or paint,” he said.
Students have taken notice.
“In the past, they come up to me and they want my autograph,” Narvaez laughed. “It makes me feel good. It makes me want to draw and paint more.”
Narvaez said his artwork is also a way to help young children feel more comfortable, especially when they are anxious at the start of the school year.
“Especially first day of school, they get nervous and stuff like that,” he said. “I talk to them a lot and sometimes do little magic tricks for them and show my paintings, and it makes them feel a little bit more comfortable.”
He even surprised the KSAT team with a painting during a visit to the campus.
As students return Wednesday for their first day of school, many of Howard Early Childhood Center’s newest learners will get to meet the custodian whose creativity and kindness have made him a familiar and comforting presence on campus.
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