Ms. Lea Lopez has played a special role for the Stephen F. Austin High School community for many years now. Ms. Lopez has been a “Data Processing Specialist” for Stephen F. Austin High School and Austin Independent School District. She is giving her goodbyes this December after over 20 years here at Stephen F. Austin High School.

In an interview with Ms. Lopez, I asked her, what have been your favorite and most memorable moments and or times at Stephen F. Austin High School, and why? “I worked for the assistant principals, and usually if you went to the assistant principals it was for discipline. Back then when I started, the assistant principals had students sign contracts, and one of my responsibilities was to call the students in at the end of the day to make sure the contract was complete for each and every period… At the end of a school year, the most rewarding part is when a student would come to me after they walked the stage and say ‘if it weren’t for you always being on me [about tasks], I wouldn’t have walked the stage today.”

I also asked, what she loved about Stephen F. Austin High School, and why? “The diversity…Back in the day when I went to school, there was segregation, and a lot of kids were bussed. But now it’s open to whoever wants to come with a transfer. For many years we were frozen, but once it opened up the diversity was great.”

I then followed up with, how long have you been working with the school? May you please walk us through your journey with Stephen F. Austin High School? “From 2000-2007 I was a clerk in the assistant principal’s office. Back then we didn’t have as many programs to help do the submission of paperwork… We didn’t have the forms that you could fill out online, back then it was all fax machine.” “In 2007, I was asked to be a data processor.”

A data processor is someone who works with the teachers to make sure information has been filled and logged in properly by a deadline. “Also as a data processor, I helped the master scheduler, who is usually an assistant principal, create all these classes so that you guys can have schedules on the first day of school.”

After discussing her journey at Stephen F. Austin High School I asked, what’s your advice for future Maroons? “It’s good to have a positive attitude. It’s hard, things have changed from 2000 to 2024, but you have to remember to have that good attitude.”

Finally, I asked, what about Stephen F. Austin High School will you miss the most? “A lot of everything really…my coworkers that I’ve worked with for 15 years plus, it’s going to be very hard to not see them on a daily basis… You become a family, you become a village as they say. It takes a village to make something work and that’s what we have here. At Austin High we’re a tiny village of people who really care, you just have to give them that time.”

Ms. Lopez has played a special role in making Stephen F. Austin High School what it is today. We wish Mrs. Lopez the best, and thank her for her kindness and everything she has done.