Six months ago, Jerry Garza received his high school diploma a year early, surrounded by friends and family who once questioned if he would ever reach the milestone. Today, he puts on a Harris County Department of Education shirt and clips on his employee badge to work as a parking attendant for the same organization that helped him see a future beyond his past.  

What might seem like an ordinary first job to many means something much bigger to Garza. It’s “a blessing” – a chance to build a life for himself, prove that change is possible and become the person even he once struggled to imagine. 

He’s also the latest of five Fortis Academy graduates to join #TeamHCDE since 2020 after crossing the stage, reinforcing the Department’s commitment to its students. 

“This place has lifted my whole personality and whole demeanor as a person,” he explained. “It’s given me another point of view on life and proven to me that no matter my background or mistake, that doesn’t define me.”   

That’s a message he first heard as a student at Fortis Academy. Aldine Independent School District staff referred Garza to the campus as a sophomore because of his challenges with drugs and alcohol, but what he found was more than a classroom. Through the connections he built with Fortis administrators and staff, Garza found people who not only supported him on his sobriety journey but also helped him recognize his own potential. He fully embraced the campus’s rehabilitation methods, participating in the culinary arts program, writing poems through the Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say partnership and eventually becoming a mentor for incoming students.  

“Jerry showed so much perseverance and commitment throughout his time at Fortis, which is vital in a recovery journey,” Principal Travita Godfrey said. “He worked two jobs through school and managed to graduate a year early, which is a testament to his focus. When Jerry sets a goal, no matter the obstacle, he will pivot to reach it. Seeing him blossom as a full-time employee is amazing! He’s learning so much and is surrounded by the guys on the Facilities team who can be positive influences for him. I know this is only the beginning of his success.”  

Since joining #TeamHCDE in June, Garza has become a valuable member of Facilities. He helps keep staff and visitor vehicles safe, secures the building at the end of the day and pitches in with event setup and various facility needs. All the while, he has become more confident in himself and his role within the Department.  

“Jerry has really come out of his shell and become a great addition to our team,” said Julie Carson, the operations coordinator and Garza’s immediate supervisor. “He may be right out of high school, but he takes his job seriously. I can leave and know that he’s going to lock up the building correctly and everything will be alright.”   

Garza is not the first Fortis Academy graduate to find a professional foothold at HCDE. In 2020, Karen Espinosa worked in Records Management as a clerk before starting her family, and in 2022, Julian Guerrero worked as a technician before transitioning to university classes. Tristan Sowders and Lyric Lawrence spent the past year working as culinary assistants at Fortis before moving out of state and going back to Lamar University, respectively.  

Each graduate found an opportunity to keep moving forward with support from the same organization that helped them navigate challenges in school. Whether pursuing college, exploring a career or stepping into another full-time role, their position on #TeamHCDE serves as a reminder that our commitment to Harris County students doesn’t end at graduation.  

“Hiring our own students shows that we are not lying when we say, ‘I see something in you,’” Carson said. “When these kids graduate, they need to know that they still have a place at HCDE, no matter what. They might leave our campuses, but they will never be without our support should they need it.” 

Added Garza: “Since I started working here, I’ve learned how to be more patient, to never give up on myself and that there is still love and generosity in the world. This job fuels my fire to keep pushing for more in my life. Every day I watch people who enjoy their job come to work and want to help kids, and I want to do that too.” 

Garza is already paying it forward. He joined Fortis Academy’s Recovery Coach Lakesha Hemphill at Highpoint School to share his story with adjudicated youth facing similar challenges as part of Red Ribbon Week. By speaking openly about his past, the choices that shaped his journey and the help that made a difference, Garza hopes students will recognize they have options and that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.  

“I don’t want these kids to think I’m better than them, because I’m not,” he explained. “I want them to see that playing with drugs or messing around with gang members and guns is just propaganda that will lead them to the grave or prison. I want them to know there’s a way out of that life if they ask for help. Fortis helped me see that, HCDE continues to help me escape that life, and I’m forever grateful.”  

What’s next? Garza is considering joining the Coast Guard or continuing his education, with a long-term goal of supporting himself and providing for the family he hopes to start one day. Until then, when you enter the parking garage at HCDE’s Irvington location, roll down your window and tell Jerry, “Hello.”