Dallas ISD Nurse Goes Extra Mile to Help Students and Families

By Allana J. Barefield 
Staff Writer 

Nurses have always been the backbone in the medical world and critical to have in the school systems and Dallas ISD’s, Veronica De La Torres, has gone the extra mile at Young Women’s STEAM Academy (YWSA), an all-girl middle school where they also have Special Education units and a classroom for Activities of Daily Living. 

As a former nurse in the cardiac catheterization laboratory at Parkland Hospital, De La Torres knows about the importance of being healthy and she said she cares about her students to the point that she will check in consistently with families. Even when schools closed back in March, she would call on families who might be at risk for COVID-19. 

In addition to helping them schedule doctor appointments and guiding them through their symptoms, De La Torres also reminds students that this isn’t the time to be relaxed about COVID-19. 

“Keep washing your hands thoroughly, avoid going to crowded places if possible and keep wearing a face covering in public,” De La Torres said. “Even though everything seems to be reopening, we’re not out of the woods yet and we must remain following safety guidelines.”