Maxine L. Silva Health Magnet High School - El Paso, TX

Maxine Silva Health Magnet High School is an urban campus located in a socio-economically challenged area of El Paso that is currently being revitalized by the growth of Texas Tech University Health Science and the Gayle Grave Hunt School of Nursing. As a Health Magnet High School for the county of El Paso, Silva serves a wide range of students that live up to 20 miles away from our campus such as Canutillo City in the far west to Fabens in the far east. Moreover, Silva is located two miles from Juarez, Mexico.

Silva's student population is diverse with 25 percent male, 75 percent female and a minority enrollment of 93 percent. Students at Silva originate from seven school districts within Region 19 as well as local private, charter schools and student whose families are in the military base.

Amongst the many challenges the Silva Campus contends with is the cultural diversity within the campus, which becomes a challenge when dealing with languages and customs from around the world. Yet, with a determined faculty and staff, students become acclimated quickly without multicultural barriers and are open to sharing their own rich customs with others. Campus and community interaction, as well as involvement, are keys to success at the Silva campus. Through clinicals, practicums, and rotations, Silva students become actively involved in the medical community while the faculty reinforce rigorous instruction through active learning. This active learning is the key to success and Silva students tend to become more engaged and successful when participating in the process.