Desert View students design and fit prosthetic limbs on service trip to Costa Rica; teachers, students honored

Desert View High School students in the district's precision manufacturing program were celebrated May 13 after a service trip in which students digitally designed and fitted prosthetic limbs for people in Costa Rica.

The board honored the team and their instructors, noting that students partnered with Sky Youth Life Changer Prosthetics (described during remarks) and helped produce limbs that district presenters first described as a total of 40 and later described by instructor Manuel Gutierrez as 50 fitted legs. "They were able to put 50 legs on 50 people," Gutierrez said, adding that the experience changed students' lives.

Nut graf: District officials said the program combines advanced manufacturing skills with community service, and several students earned recognitions tied to significant community-service hours.

Students and staff described the process: teenagers worked individually with recipients, heard personal stories, fit the prostheses and helped some recipients take their first steps. The board identified teachers Beatriz Pinedo and Manuel Gutierrez as lead instructors. Gutierrez and presenter speakers noted that several students received national recognition for their hours of community service: six students were to receive the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award bronze medal (250 hours) and two students, Brianna Esqueda and Bernadette Pineda, were to receive the silver medal (475 hours), district staff said.

Ending: Board members praised the program as among the district's top career-technical offerings and encouraged continuation; no formal action was required.