CityLab High School valedictorian Juston P. took the environmental sustainability pathway, earning top honors, and is planning to study biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin. Photo courtesy of Dallas ISD.
A senior at CityLab High School on Ross Avenue is making history as the school’s first valedictorian with autism spectrum disorder.
“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,” Class of 2026 Valedictorian Juston P. said in a Dallas ISD press release.
Juston was diagnosed when he was about 3 years old and, like many neurodivergent people, has faced challenges with speech, social cues and overstimulation, according to the press release. Structure, routine, attention to detail, precision and taking a different mindset helped him excel at school.
“They are not mental challenges; they are special gifts,” Juston said in the press release. “You can use these special gifts to help you out on this journey. They don’t have to hinder you but rather, help you grow.”
Juston appreciated the environment at CityLab High School, which offers project-based learning and programs in architecture, environmental science, and urban and regional planning.
“This school is small, but for me, that’s the beauty of it,” he said in the press release. “My friends and teachers really made my high school experience.”
Juston took the environmental sustainability pathway in high school, earning top honors, and is planning to study biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, according to the press release. His end goal is to become an anesthesiologist.
CityLab will host its graduation ceremony on Sunday in Addison.
