This month Refugio Martinez will graduate from High School. With his head held high, he will continue his education at Antelope Valley College, as the first in his family of five children to go to college. What he will leave behind for the community and his classmates is a thoughtful dedication to the community and his fellow classmates.
Martinez heard about plans to expand the emergency room at the Antelope Valley Hospital. He pulled together the talents and dedication of his musically-inclined classmates from Antelope Valley High School band to perform a benefit concert and raise money to donate to the planned $52 million Emergency Department hospital expansion. After all, it is the hospital where he was born.
“It was cool. I was surprised at the turnout. There were even doctors from the hospital that came to hear us,” said Martinez, who used the opportunity to give back to his community as his senior project at school.
They performed the 90-minute concert with a wide range of songs, including The Star Spangled Banner, Stars and Stripes Forever and Get Down Tonight.
School district nurse, Olga Magana, recognized the positive traits in Martinez, despite the distractions that can come from divorce-related and financial difficulties, potential problems she noticed in the Martinez family.
“He is a leader and able to motivate his classmates,” says Magana, “He has a definite passion for working with people.”
Martinez says he was inspired by Magana to become a nurse. Her mentoring skills have been invaluable for him. He appreciates how she gives it her all to detect and treat the emotional and practical needs of her students.
Her empathy for others has rubbed off on Martinez. A career in nursing seems like a natural calling for the young man who has a knack for peacefully getting along well with others and always looking to give of himself. And while the money raised at the concert made a small dent in the big expansion budget, it was no question a generous symbol of valor.
The hospital handles more than 100,000 emergency visits each year and the expansion is designed to significantly improve patient flow and meet the growing needs of the community.
“I want to do whatever helps people,” said Martinez, who with a mantra like that should some day make the kind of nurse we would all like to have treat us when we are sick.