Born June 26, 1933, in El Paso, Texas, Aguilar moved with his family to LA. He used to shine shoes in downtown LA with another friend when he was a “little guy.” Whatever money he made, he would turn over to his mother so that his younger brother and sister could eat lunch at school. When his single mother searched for work, she relocated them to Delano when he was in seventh grade. When not in school, Aguilar played sports and worked in the fields along with his five siblings. He served in the U.S. Army Airborne before working with the late César E. Chávez and the United Farm Workers. 

Dr. Aguilar had never heard of a superintendent until a man dressed in “a nice suit and tie and polished shoes” walked into his fifth-grade classroom. He knew right then that he wanted to be a teacher. Decades later, he became a superintendent.

His early academic career began at Delano High School, then continued onto Porterville College before he was recruited to play football at Fresno State. He is considered a "Top Dog" at Fresno State and in many places throughout the state. He later earned a Masters degree in Education and a PhD at the College of the Pacific. 

After graduating from Fresno State with a bachelor’s in education in 1962, Aguilar had a 50-plus-year education career, starting as a teacher and working his way up through the Delano Unified School District. He taught history, and then became a counselor in Delano High School. Because a teacher helped him, Aguilar wanted to be that teacher or counselor who helped students. 

“I’ve had some of the greatest teachers that anybody can have. I had them. I had them here (high school). I had them in college. I had them at Fresno State,” said Aguilar.

After schoool administration, he was recruited to the Tulare County Office of Education and became one of the early pioneers of Migrant Education in a career which took him to various parts of the state over 6 years -- San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Campbell, Oxnard, Ventura (moved here for a while), Merced, and Fresno. Migrant Education began with summer classes outdoors in San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Merced, Kern, Tulare-Kings, and Fresno.

He was heavily involved in the early days of bilingual education as well as the backlash from parents who did not understand nor want "billingual education" and asked for "English only" education. Regardless, he persevered with his beliefs.  

His involvement with AMAE began when he was in Delano in 1965 and joined his uncle Leroy Silva in the formation of early chapters in the LA area. He knew all the early founders/ presidents and ended up becoming one himself in 1972 (at a particularly transitional time in developing its organizational structure). Tulare County AMAE grew to 100 members at this time and held one of the state's many conventions. He was also involved in the formation of CABE, the California Association of Bilingual Educators.

Educators and community leaders remember Aguilar for making time to call people and meet them for coffee or breakfast, where he would give advice and friendship.

Aguilar will be remembered as “the new kid on the block” in Delano. He will be remembered as the man who committed his life to serving those who sought an education. As the loving, kind, happy man who always made sure you were taken care of.

Quotes:

“Dr Aguilar was a tremendous person and made a huge impact on a lot of people.” 

--Héctor Cartagena (community memeber)

“He always had an idea to lift up the Hispanic community and for the community to engage.” 

--Tina Macías-Pardo (who met Aguilar 30 years ago when she first moved to Visalia)

“Dr. Aguilar could make your day in a second! Words of wisdom, words of encouragement, stories that I never could get enough of and could hardly wait to hear, his inspirational, motivational, trailblazing conquering days …in his profession, in community engagement, in politics, always echándole ganas, so positive.” 

--Suzanna Aguilera-Marreno (Chairman of the Board of Directors at Hispanic Foundation of Tulare & Kings Counties)