Wylie graduate Ashlynn Jenkins returns to show students where the pathway can lead
There is something special about a former student walking back into a classroom.
The desks look familiar. The teacher still remembers the early days. And somewhere in the room, a current student is wondering if the path in front of them is really possible.
For Wylie High School graduate Ashlynn Jenkins, Class of 2022, that path started in Dr. Lex Hood’s CNA class. This week, it brought her back to the front of the room - not as a student, but as a nurse, a mentor and a living example of what can happen when opportunity meets hard work.
Ashlynn spent the day presenting to Dr. Hood’s CNA classes, sharing stories from healthcare, answering questions and giving students a clearer picture of life beyond high school. Since graduating from Wylie, she has earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and a bachelor’s degree in human sciences from Texas Tech University. She now works as a PACU nurse, caring for patients after surgery.
But her message was not just about degrees, titles or scrubs. It was about people.
“Build a rapport with your patients,” Ashlynn told students during her presentation. “Let them know who you are. Let them tell you who they are.”
That simple reminder stuck with junior CNA student Mia Hallon.
“What really stood out to me was caring for the residents and understanding that they are people too,” Mia said. “Hearing from a former Wylie student definitely made it feel more real.”
(Mia Hallon, Jr.)
Ashlynn remembers being in their place. When she was at Wylie, the CNA program was just beginning. She said students now have more opportunities to explore healthcare earlier, ask deeper questions and see different career paths before graduation.
“When I first started as a CNA, it was unheard of at Wylie to do anything in the medical field,” Ashlynn said. “This is the first year I’ve ever seen three classes. It’s just growing.”
That growth is exactly what makes Dr. Hood proud.
“It gives me so much joy,” Dr. Hood said. “That’s why I do this job - for students to find their passion and go forward and do as much with that passion as they can.”
(Dr. Hood)
Dr. Hood said Ashlynn had the same qualities as a student that she now carries into nursing: work ethic, adaptability, collaboration and attention to detail. She also said the growth of the program has been fueled by students themselves, who share their experiences with friends in band, soccer, cheer and other activities.
“It’s contagious,” Dr. Hood said. “The students have had such a good experience helping people that they talk about how good it feels.”
For Ashlynn, coming back is about easing some of the worries she once had herself.
“I wish someone could have come to my class and told me, ‘Being a CNA is scary, but it is so worth it,’” she said. “I love being part of my community. I love coming back to my alma mater. I want to see them grow and prosper.”
By the end of the day, students had heard about charting, patient care, nursing school, support systems, scholarships, workforce programs and the kind of moments that remind healthcare workers why the job matters. Some lessons were technical. Some were funny. Some were the kind that stay with you.
And that may be the heart of the story.
A few years ago, Ashlynn was sitting in Dr. Hood’s class, wondering what came next. Now she is helping the next group of Bulldogs picture their own next step.
That is how a program grows. One student becomes a graduate. One graduate becomes a mentor. And one classroom becomes a starting place for futures that reach far beyond the school walls.
It’s great to be a Wylie Bulldog.
