Gary Locuson

Age: 35

Career: Principal at Sawgrass Bay Elementary 

What drives me: My family. Becoming a father reshaped how I lead and how I see the world. It taught me patience and purpose and pushes me to show up with the same care and consistency I want my own children to experience. 

My legacy: I hope students and staff remember that I believed in them, valued them and led with integrity. My goal is to help people see their own potential and create a school culture where connection and kindness matter. 

Fun fact: I’m president of South Lake Pop Warner Football and Cheer and I’m also a photographer who loves capturing families’ milestones. 

For Gary Locuson, leadership begins at home and forms the foundation of his philosophy, “love and lead them,” which sets the tone for how he approaches his work as principal of Sawgrass Bay Elementary in Clermont.

“Becoming a father changed everything about how I view people, purpose and responsibility,” he says. “Seeing the world through my children’s eyes teaches me patience, empathy and steadiness in moments that feel anything but steady.”

It’s a lesson that carries into every classroom and conversation.

As president of South Lake Pop Warner Football and Cheer, Gary supports youth athletics and local families. Off the field, he’s often behind the camera, photographing milestones for the same people he’s grown up alongside. Both roles keep him grounded in the relationships that make Lake County feel like home.

The community has shaped him as much as he’s shaped it. Gary credits his teachers, mentors and colleagues for influencing his growth as an educator and a leader.

“I want my leadership to inspire students and staff to believe in themselves and to lead with integrity and kindness,” he says.

Leading through uncertain times in schools and across the wider community reinforced his belief that people need compassion before they need direction. Those challenges strengthened his commitment to being a steady, authentic and people-centered leader.

Years from now, he hopes his legacy reflects the difference he’s made, not the titles he’s held.

“If people say I made a difference and helped them see their own greatness, that’s enough,” he says.