Leah Edwards

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Age: 14

Parents: Quincy and Jeffrey Edwards

Inside the classroom: Edwards is a straight-A student with a particular interest in Western civilization. She says her interests in art, history and math will be the perfect segue into a career as an architect.

"I love Western civilization, European history starting with the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans and up through (the ages)," she said. "At the moment we're doing the Renaissance. The teacher is amazing."

That teacher, William Clifford, thinks highly of his student as well.

"She's a fantastic student in all ways," said the English and history teacher. "She is conscientious and diligent and bright and thorough, which are all great academic qualities; but she also is a really nice girl, helpful with other students, always prepared. I can't say enough wonderful things about her. In fact, she is one of the very finest freshman students I have ever had."

In addition to Western civilization and art, Edwards has a penchant for math and, she said, "I've always been interested in building things and architect is one of the few jobs that combines a lot of art aspects and engineering aspects."

Edwards would prefer to design homes versus commercial buildings.

"Gothic architecture is interesting. I don't think I'd really design houses in that style, but it's interesting," she said.

Edwards is a lifelong high-achiever. Last year, as a student at Carden of Tucson, a small charter school, she won the school geography bee and went on to the state competition. In fifth and eighth grades, she won the President's Education Award for outstanding academic excellence. And she's won two Daughters of the American Revolution essay contests. Her first was in sixth grade at the state level and her second was in regionals, when she was in eighth grade.

Outside the classroom: When not concentrating on academics, Edwards turns her attention to her animal companions, a dog and a ferret. She's putting in volunteer applications with local animal welfare agencies so she can help place unwanted pets in permanent homes.

She enjoys Web page design and graphic design, and made a small-business Web site for a relative.

The civic-minded teen also pitches in when her neighborhood association needs help. She passes out announcement fliers and works at the community yard sales, neighbor Terry Bishop said.

"There are not a lot of girls out there who are as nice as she is," Bishop said. "I have a lot of respect and admiration for this gal. She's only a freshman, but she has a lot of maturity and sensitivity."