Milwaukee High School of the Arts
Year-round, first responders’ brave challenges so the rest of us may stay safe. In honor of their hard work and dedication, MPS Alumni would like to honor and celebrate these heroes for selflessly protecting and serving our communities. We honor the courage, commitment, and sacrifices of those in the fire service, law enforcement, and emergency medical services (EMS) communities, as well as our nation’s public servants. Join us in celebrating the Alumni “heroes among us” during these crucial times in our lives.
Job title: Full Scope Certified Nurse Midwife and Clinical Preceptor
Aurora West Allis Medical Center- Women’s Pavilion
LaVerda Sayles Martin is MPS Proud as an alumna of Milwaukee High School of the Arts, ’91. She is a Full Scope Certified Nurse Midwife and Clinical Preceptor at Aurora West Allis Medical Center, “Our current local and national predicament has me leaning very heavily on my faith. When the pandemic first hit, I struggled daily with going to work and through every patient encounter with the fear of -is this when (not if) I will be exposed? Because I work in direct patient care, when I walk through the doors of the hospital, I am terrified about the very strong possibility of bringing this deadly virus home to my husband, our children or our elderly parents.
African Americans and other communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by Covid19 and the negative cascade of social, economic, and long-term health consequences. The death and disability rates continue to rise.
I embrace the fact that I an extremely blessed to work for a healthcare organization that has made definitive efforts to keep faith over fear and to remain calm during this chaos. We have received an overwhelming amount of information and updates as more has become known about Covid-19. My education and training have prepared me for stressful situations and Aurora Healthcare has kept the safety and the health (both physical and emotional) of our colleagues, regardless of their role or position, a top priority. I have been provided with the resources, protective equipment, and knowledge that allows me to continue to navigate with grace. 
I stand grateful that I was gifted as a young child with a strong foundation of faith. My acceptance and understanding that God is in control of everything sustains me through the hot mess of this pandemic and I’m thankful that I knew, back as a high school student, about the work that I was called to do. My Pastor is an amazing advocate and my faith gives me courage to keep it moving. Supporting mothers through pregnancy and delivering babies gives me life and each time I receive a newborn into my hand and witness a first cry, I am moved to remain strong as I view HOPE for the future.
Join us in celebrating alumni Heroes Among Us during these challenging times in our lives. Would you like to share a story of a Hero Among Us? Contact valdesd@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.