She was born and raised in McKees Rocks. She’s a product of Sto-Rox School District from Kindergarten straight through to her high school diploma. Now, she’s working at a nationally-renowned hospital for women in the Steel City.
How Leila Quiroz got on that path was through a combination of family history and opportunity. First, the opportunity.
“This program back in high school that I got accepted into (as a sophomore) was exploring all the different health sciences,” she explained. Once she started learning, she was hooked on nursing. She also had an experienced family member cheering her on.
“My grandma was just the happiest, probably happier than me whenever I graduated,” said Quiroz. “She loves telling everyone that I'm a nurse. She used to be a medical assistant, and she always wanted to be a nurse herself, but she never could.”
Reflecting on her time in Sto-Rox, a few teachers stick out.
“Mr. (Joe) Herzing, everybody loves Mr. Herzing,” she said.
Another teacher who made an impact was Suellen Engelhard. While Quiroz didn’t become a music teacher, she did take part in band. She said Engelhard had a big impact on her and many others.
“I feel like if she wasn't in the school, a lot of kids wouldn't be involved in a lot of things,” she said. “She always wants her kids to be involved. She always wants to help. She always is doing some type of fundraiser to get kids what they need, you know, so she's a big help to that school.
After graduating from Sto-Rox in 2018, Quiroz spent the next few years going to class across the Ohio River at CCAC. It’s an experience she valued, and she has a message for young folks thinking about following in her footsteps.
“I would say do it if you really want to do it, and not because you're pressured to do what everyone else is doing, you know?” She explained, “I would definitely say if (you) were thinking of going to school, straight out of Sto-Rox, definitely do community college first.
She added, “I had a little bit of wiggle room to explore what it was that I really wanted. Just because I took nursing in my sophomore year, that didn't necessarily mean that it was meant for me.”
Quiroz attained an associate’s degree in nursing from CCAC. In July, she started her job as a circulating nurse at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, though she had a slight detour for her own operation. She had to have her gallbladder removed.
“Well, I could have gotten my gallbladder taken out there, but I just - my new co-workers - you know, it's just too personal,” she laughed.
Now that she’s recovered and back on the job, Quiroz is feeling like she’s back in school.
“It's very different from nursing school because we learned nothing about it,” she said. However, she’s learning quickly about a role that makes sure the operating rooms run on time.
“I set up a room for the surgery, get all the supplies together that we might need during or after. Doing a lot of interviewing the patient, making sure the patient is safe.”
It’s all in a day’s work for a Sto-Rox graduate who has blazed her own trail from ‘The Rocks’ to the O.R.