Hometown Hero: Officer Shatara Lemons

Dallas Police Officer Shatara Lemons works deep nights on patrol.

Once a month for three years, she's volunteered as a Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentor 2.0. The program pairs high school juniors and seniors who may be the first in their family to go to college with a professional who went to college or was in the military.

Officer Lemons was in the Air Force before she became a police officer. She's a college graduate who is now working on her master's degree.

Shatara’s mentee is 17-year-old Nately Gutierrez, a junior at Irving High School.

Nately says Officer Lemons helps her in every possible way — from talking about hair to high school, college, grades, family and life. Officer Lemons is delighted to help Nately fulfill her dreams for a bright and successful future.

The Mentor 2.0 program is in Irving High School and in DISD's A. Maceo Smith and North Dallas High Schools.

The graduation rate last year was 97 percent.  This year, 318 students are enrolled in the program in those three schools.

If you'd like to volunteer with the Mentor 2.0, volunteer as a general big brother or big sister or have your child enrolled in the program, log on to www.bbbstx.org.