“It’s okay to be different because imperfections are the perfections of life,” says CityLab High School, senior Juston P. For him, that belief is more than a quote. It is how he learned to navigate a world that has not always been built with him in mind. In a school defined by individuality and innovation, Juston is leaving a legacy rooted in both. “I hope the legacy I left on this school, and district is that you can be on the spectrum and do what I did or even more,” Juston said. That legacy is already taking shape. Juston is…

Class of 2026 valedictorian John M., of Woodrow Wilson High School, spent his first days of ninth grade feeling like he was walking in the footsteps of giants. Four years later, the Morehead-Cain Scholarship winner says success is more than being the smartest person in the room; it’s about being the most curious. “I like to think curiosity is what makes me me, whether asking deeper questions in class or doing research outside of school,” John said. “My parents and family always encouraged me, even if it was a challenge in elementary school when I had to learn how to…

While most kids grew up on cartoons, Cayden M. and twins Enoch and Emmanuel A. were watching something different. For them, fun meant tuning into YouTube creators like Mark Rober and The Hacksmith, who turn engineering concepts into real-world builds. They weren’t just watching. They were studying. Today, that curiosity has turned into a major milestone. From a graduating class of just 118 students at Trinidad “Trini” Garza Early College High School, the three, along with their friend Natalie L., were accepted to the University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering. For years, the group grew up in…