Artist to architect

When Steven Garza was about 7 years old, he could visualize designs and lines in his mind as he watched his father, a carpenter, do his work.

"It fascinated me," Garza said. "It's like creating art."

Inspired by the craft, Garza plans to major in architecture at the University of Texas at Austin and make a science of his art.

He graduates from Porter High School this year 12th in his class of 476 with a 3.9034 GPA. Son of Quintin Garza Jr. and Maria Victoria Garza, the 18-year-old also designs dragsters and loves science.

He earned a University Scholastic League science achievement award last year and placed in regional and state competitions from 2005 to this year in rocket design, super stock car and dragster design.

A member of the Technology Student Association and Business Professionals of America, Garza's interests aren't limited to academics. He also plays the saxophone and soccer.

He has received the Presidential Award, a national scholastic honor, for the last four years. Outside of academics, Garza is committed to community service, donating clothes and food to the needy.

"When I was smaller, we lived in Dallas and on ... my vacations, my parents would take us to Mexico and ranches and we saw how poor they were. We started donating to them," he said.

Guidance counselor Eduardo Noriega noted that Garza's range of skills and compassion is rare.

In a short essay, Garza wrote about the importance of service. "Every drop of sweat will count, no matter how big or small it is," he wrote, "because at the end will we all be triumphant."