VMHS students make face shields for first responders

Three Veterans Memorial High School students stayed busy during the COVID-19 quarantine by making face shields for first responders.

The three students, Lucas Dovalina, Marco Rivera and Eduardo Lucio collectively started making the mask after noticing that Dovalina’s mom needed Personal Protective Equipment.

“She works in the front lines as a therapist in a nursing home. She needed  (PPE) and I knew we could help all first responders,” Dovalina said. “We saw a need and really wanted to help out and give back.”

The trio started making face shields in a 3D printer-a process that takes two hours to make per face shield. They were also asked to make 40 face shields for the Mission CISD Nursing department and have been involved in making over 1,500 ear savers for the masks for first responders, according to a news release form the Mission school district.

In the release, the school district praised the three students for giving back to the community.

“They used their skills and talents they acquired through their courses as well as Patriot Engineering to develop and produce PPE,” the release stated. “During a time when there was a high level of uncertainty this trio sprang into action. Mission CISD thanks them for their help in providing the nursing department with the face shields.”