Denton High School junior Joshua Boring is a determined young man, and we’re proud that he represented Texas on Wednesday at Constitution Day festivities on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
He received an all-expense-paid trip to the nation’s capital after winning a contest sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute for civic engagement projects. Since 2011, Boring has worked on a project that advocates for the employment of a full-time registered nurse at every school in the country.
While in Washington, he was also scheduled to present his project to U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville.
“I would love it to be a law. That would be my end result,” Boring said of his project.
Boring, 17, has severe allergic asthma, so this project is personal for him. Exposure to latex or cashews could cause him to suffer anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction, and he carries an EpiPen with him daily.
On three occasions he has faced a life-threatening situation at school because of his allergies, and he’s learned the importance of having a nearby nurse with knowledge and experience in handling severe medical situations.
When Boring was in middle school, the Denton school district considered not renewing contracts for nurses, so he spoke to board members in a public forum about the importance of retaining registered nurses in schools. He has campaigned that eliminating registered nurses jeopardizes the welfare of students.
Someone was listening. Mario Zavala, district spokesman, said an administrative policy requires the district to employ registered nurses. So, you will find an RN at each elementary, middle and comprehensive high schools and early childhood centers, he said. The district’s Davis School shares a nurse with Fred Moore High School, Zavala said, and the LaGrone Advanced Technology Complex shares a nurse with the Gonzalez School for Young Children.
Beth Hughes, International Baccalaureate coordinator at Denton High, nominated Boring’s project for the contest.
“Not many kids his age get to speak directly to a congressman about an issue they strongly believe in, in the Capitol on Constitution Day,” she said. “I think it’s just another feather in the cap of Denton High School.”
We agree, and while we don’t know if Boring has any political aspirations, we have a feeling that this might not be his last trip to Washington.
This nation could use more elected officials with his kind of determination.
Way to go, Joshua. Keep up the good work.
