For Nancy Boyd, it’s all about the young people. Quite simply, she has always believed in them and been there for them, particularly those facing adversity. But her contributions have extended far beyond compassion and accessibility, to action and impact.

During her 20 years as a homemaking and homebound teacher in the Plano Independent School District, Mrs. Boyd was instrumental in developing innovative programs designed to put at-risk students on the path to a successful future. She is credited with identifying the need to provide instruction in practical life skills such as driving, grocery shopping, cooking and infant care.

After earning her master’s degree in education and certification in counseling and guidance from Texas Woman’s University, Mrs. Boyd became a counselor at Plano East Senior High. She was soon promoted to the school’s director of guidance position and eventually served as director of the entire district’s guidance services. Now the coordinator of guidance and counseling for Rockwall ISD, she continues to serve on the board of the Hendrick Academy of Honor, an organization that, to date, has provided more than 100 scholarships to PISD students who have overcome significant challenges.

Situations that intimidate, sadden or frighten many into retreat mode inspire the polar opposite in Nancy Boyd. Her track record for charging forward, seeking solutions and effecting change is perhaps best exemplified in CITY House, Collin County’s first emergency youth shelter. In 1985, when Mrs. Boyd learned that a local student was living out of a trash bag and sleeping in a park, she sprang into gear and quickly discovered that the area offered no safe haven for displaced teens. She worked to raise community awareness and lay the foundation for the facility, which today provides food, temporary shelter, medical attention, education and counseling for as many as 15 youth ages 10 to 17. Staffed by full-time counselors, CITY House also offers free family services and counseling, and its scope continues to grow. Mrs. Boyd also serves on the advisory board for My Friend’s House, a new short-term emergency shelter for newborns to 9-year-olds who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, abandonment or neglect.

In 1999, Mrs. Boyd was named to the Plano ISD’s distinguished list of “100 Heroes” during its centennial celebration. While her list of honors and awards is a long one, she says she is most proud of helping students break the cycle of poverty, achieve their dreams and live happy, productive lives.

Mrs. Boyd and her husband, Don, live in Plano and have two grown children