Middle school named for civil rights pioneer

Northside officially will dedicate its 17th middle school on Saturday and will honor a man who dedicated his life to fighting for justice and equality for Mexican Americans.

Following graduation from medical school - at a time when few Hispanics became doctors - Dr. Hector P. Garcia joined the army during World War II. Upon returning home, he was frustrated by the lack of health care and financial resources for Hispanic veterans and substandard schools for Mexican American children. He subsequently founded the American GI Forum, which successfully pushed for social and political reform.

In 1984, President Reagan awarded Garcia the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor given by a U.S. President.

Garcia died in 1996.

Hector Garcia Middle School was built for 1,500 students and was constructed for $38.8 million with funding from School Bond 2007. The 192,725 square-foot school sits on a 27.3-acre site on Kyle Seale Parkway outside Loop 1604.

Hector Garcia Middle School is one of four new Northside schools to open this year to accommodate enrollment, now at 91,578 and growing by about 3,000 students a year. The rest of the dedication schedule is as follows:

• Ralph Langley Elementary School, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21
• John Hoffmann Elementary School, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4
• Charles L. Kuentz, Jr. Elementary School, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 11