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  »   AMARILLO ISD

PRO, or Pursuing Real 

Opportunities,

 is a collaboration 

of AISD, the Amarillo Economic 
Development Corporation and Amarillo 
College. High school seniors who 
choose to become PRO interns are 
matched with positions in their area of 
interest. The remainder of their time is 
spent in the PRO classroom, focusing 
on soft skills the 21st century 
scholar needs to master:  work ethic, 
punctuality, time management, team 
work and etiquette. 

Interested in grooming high school 

students to one day lead your 

business?

Business and community leaders can 
mentor high school seniors through 
the PRO internship program. Once your 
business has interviewed and selected 
an intern, you can expect them to 
work four to six hours each week 
during the school year. Contact Janice 
Harsch, PRO internship coordinator, at 
806-206-9100 for more information 
about hosting an internship at your 
business. 

she immediately found both. “It’s nice to go to sleep and not worry about my 
house being bombed. I sleep and I know I’m going to school and going to come 
home safely.”

That calm and peace allowed Dina to immerse herself in the American 

education system. She took summer school to catch up with her classmates and 
translated children’s story books word for word until she learned English. In just 
three years Dina has come so far she plans to take certifi cation tests for emergency 
medical technician (EMT-basic) and electrocardiogram (EKG) technician this 
summer. On a recent pre-qualifying exam for the EKG certifi cation, Dina made 
a 93, something she credits in part to the study guidance of Amarillo cardiologist 
Dr. Anthony Agostini and his nursing team. 

When she’s not studying, Dina is observing. As a Pursuing Real Opportunities 

(PRO) intern for Dr. Agostini, Dina soaks up every second of her experiences, 
taking in the tiniest details. It’s a dream opportunity for a high school student 
who can’t wait to be a medical school student.  “I am so lucky to have Dr. Agostini 
because I know a lot of medical students don’t have the opportunity to do what 
I’m doing or watch what I’m watching,” says Dina. “Dr. Agostini will explain 
everything to me, what it is and why he’s doing it, and then he’ll go and do it.”

On Tuesdays, Dina joins Dr. Agostini in the cardiac catheterization lab. 

Wednesday is clinical day and the duo sees patient after patient. Thursdays 
take Dina to the hospital for more heart cath procedures, to make rounds, and 
sometimes, to the holy grail of her internship, the operating room.  

“I just can’t wait to graduate and be a surgeon and start doing it myself,” says 

Dina, well aware of the 12-plus years of medical school and residency which await 
her. “We didn’t really have enough good doctors and surgeons in my country, and 
there was a lot of death,” she says. “I really want to do something that saves people.” 

For now, Dina is content, yet unmistakably eager to learn all she can from Dr. 

Agostini and his team. “I’ll be so much better off than most students because of 
this experience. I’m prepared,” says Dina, more confi dent than ever about the 
future. “When I came here, I didn’t speak English at all. Now I watch surgeries and 
understand what is going on. It’s amazing. It’s my life.”

“I am so lucky to have Dr. Agostini because I know a lot of medical students don’t have the opportunity to do what I’m doing or watch what I’m 
watching,” says Dina. “Dr. Agostini will explain everything to me, what it is and why he’s doing it, and then he’ll go and do it.”