Students to Meet Mentors at Helping Heroes Luncheon on Oct. 3

The Helping Heroes Mentorship Program officially kicks off Monday, Oct. 3 with a luncheon in the College Union Building, Oak Room, on AC’s Washington Street Campus. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and speakers with Palo Duro ties will share their experiences and offer words of encouragement.

The 27 Heroes will then meet their personal Helpers — volunteers recruited primarily, although not exclusively, from the professional ranks at Baptist Saint Anthony’s Health Care System (BSA) and Norwest Texas Hospital (NWTH).

“The purpose of this partnership between the Helpers and the Heroes is to provide encouragement and support through the senior year, especially to first-generation college students, minority groups, and financially disadvantaged individuals,” said Phyllis Pastwa, an instructor in AC’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program and chief architect of this outreach program.

“The Helpers will provide insight into the chosen healthcare field, along with information and resources to help prepare the Heroes for college. The goal is that 100 percent of these Heroes will enroll and complete a healthcare-related college degree upon completion of high school.”

Pastwa said the luncheon is being made possible by a generous donation from AC’s recently retired Dean of Nursing Richard Pullen, Ed.D. Partnering with Pastwa to ensure the Helping Heroes Mentorship Program would become a reality has been Becky Matthews, MSN, RN, also an ADN instructor at AC.

Speakers for the luncheon, each of whom graduated from Palo Duro High School, will be Teresa Herrera, MSN, BSN, assistant chief nursing officer at NWTH; Shirley Collins, BSN, RN, medical surgical director at BSA; and AC student Alexis Sotello.

After the luncheon, the Heroes will have an opportunity to tour AC’s Washington Street Campus, which will come in handy if their college of choice next year turns out to be AC.