Alondra Echeverria, a 2005 Dominion High School graduate, always has loved children. It came as no surprise when she entered the school's childhood education program during her junior year.
"I liked it, but I felt like it wasn't for me. I could do more," she said in an interview last week. Consequently, she turned her attention to social work. She shadowed a social worker for a day at Inova Loudoun Hospital in Lansdowne. "I ended up being interested in nursing. I knew I wanted to be a nurse then."
She gave more thought to the career and decided she wanted to take it a step farther. "I didn't want to stop studying. I also wanted to help kids. I like kids," she said. "Why not [become] a pediatrician?"
ECHEVERRIA met with Dominion's career and guidance counselors, whom provided information about the C. S. Monroe Technology Center nursing program. In part, she was following the footsteps of her mother, Alejandra Dominquez-Mundo, who is a certified nurse's assistant. "My mom said she would love it if I did that. It would be great for me."
Guidance Counselor Kevin Terry said Echeverria had to pass a pre-nursing board test heavy on math and science questions to gain admittance. In addition to the Monroe courses, she also took chemistry, Algebra II and Spanish IV. "She took all the courses for an advanced studies diploma and still kept her grades up. That's pretty admirable," he said. "She is determined."
The Ladies Board of Nursing awarded her a $650 scholarship and the Reston Hospital Center Medical Center gave her a $500 scholarship.
Echeverria, a member of Dominion's Step Team and Latin Dance Club, also worked part time at Baja Fresh Mexican Grill in Cascades during her senior year. She continues to work there six shifts a week to save money for college.
She plans to attend the second half of Monroe's nursing program, even though she graduated from Dominion in June. At the completion, she will be a licensed practical nurse. She has set her sights on a four-year degree at George Mason University to become a registered nurse. She said she will work hard to get a straight-A average and then attend a medical school.
Echeverria cited other reasons for taking on so many hours at Baja Fresh. "I don't want to go out too much right now. I was starting to get into so much trouble. Too many peer pressures around," she said. "And I have fun at my job. I like it a lot. I like the people and helping the customers and everything."
DURING THE DAY, she takes care of her brother, Jimmy, 12, and their sister, Iliana, 5, while her mother works. Echeverria said her dream is to someday go back to her native country, Mexico, and practice medicine. She wants to travel through the country and provide assistance occasionally. "I wouldn't want to live there, because it is hard to survive there," she said. "I would like to help out the hospitals, because they are so low on nurses and doctors, and they need help."
She and her family came to the United States when she was 2 years old. They settled in California and moved to Virginia when she was in sixth grade, where her stepfather, Jesus Dominguez, has family. The California school system offered classes in Spanish and English.
Terry said her bilingual skills will serve her well in the medical field. Spanish also is spoken at home.
Echeverria said she believes her love for children started with taking care of her siblings. "I feel like I help my mom a lot by taking care of them, because I am the oldest. I like the responsibility of taking care of them and making them feel better," she said.
DURING HER high-school years, Echeverria said she learned she had the ability to fulfill her dreams. She said she would like to share that lesson with students who will be attending Dominion in the fall. "I want them to not give up, to believe they can do anything, because they can. At the moment, you might not think so, but you can."
The encouraging words are similar to those she received not only from the school's counselors, but the guidance secretary who served as a key supporter. Soraya Monlyn said she and Echeverria struck up a friendship, because they have similar backgrounds. Monlyn, 37, said she came from the Dominion Republic to the United States when she was 16. She too wants to pursue a career in nursing. She said she kept telling Echeverria to keep fighting for her dream.
"I think she is a wonderful human being," Monlyn said. "She will do a great job, not only professionally, but in caring for people."
Terry agreed. "No doubt, because of the amount of work she has done already to get to this point," he said. "She is one of those students who knows the value or others. She represents what we ask our students to do, academic excellence and volunteer work."
Echeverria volunteers as a translator.
Dominion Principal John Brewer described her as a "young lady of tremendous intelligence, character, kindness and thoughtfulness for her fellow students, a positive leader and a community leader."
"I think she will do whatever she wants to accomplish," he said. "She has a strong work ethic and the natural ability to make it a reality."