Jerome Harris is Carlmont’s plant manager, whose job is to oversee the campus and manage the custodians.
Harris said, “My job is one that changes from day to day, but I think my greatest appreciation of being the plant manager has been seeing over the last 19 years how the whole campus has changed and transitioned into a 21st century mega campus.”
Although Harris loves his job, his lifelong passions are singing and God. Ever since he was a child, Harris has been singing in church as well as in rock and roll bands and R&B groups.
At Carlmont, Harris is currently in Carlmont’s Riff Raff Staff Band, which consists of Harris the lead vocal, David Gomez the drummer, Jaime Garcia the bassist, Ashley Gray the acoustic guitarist, and Cary Milia the lead guitarist.
Garcia said, “Jerome is great. He’s the whole band, I think. Without his voice, we’re kind of average, but with his voice we’re just that much better. He’s got a beautiful voice and he’s a beautiful human being.”
Many students share the same sentiments. “He works really hard for what he has. He really cares about the school as a whole, is a part of the Black Student Union, and he’s a great singer,” said Junior Rea Tucker.
Music and God are two things that have significantly affected Harris and his life. They brought him out of many hardships and kept him on the path to where he is now.
One of the most memorable events for which he turned to God happened when he was young in the mid-60’s. He went on a school field trip to Lake Chabot across the bay. He recalled swimming with his friends, until the life guards cleared the pool and brought up the body of his friend Ronald Henderson.
“He did not go home that day, and that event is forever etched into my memory. Ronald would have been 55 this year. Who knows why these things takes place? Perhaps it’s one God’s lessons in life to make us see and experience some of the unknowns in life, and yet give us a reason to press on. To never give up, never give in, and never back down. To persevere no matter what the odds,” Harris said.
Harris added that as he was growing up, he truly believed in God not because of what had been told to him, but rather through hard won and hard fought experience.
Up until today and likely well into the future, Harris has lived and will continue to live life with music and God by his side.
