NATCHEZ — Joseph Perry Jr. has wanted to build bridges and buildings ever since his days of tinkering with Legos.

The Natchez High School Class of 2011 Valedictorian will attend Jackson State University in the fall to study civil engineering, a field on which he has been hooked since he was young.

“All my life I’ve liked the concept of putting things together,” Perry said.

Perry said he chose Jackson State based on his academic passion, but he will not be neglecting his athletic passion in college — football. He will be a walk-on for the Tigers in the fall.

“I can’t wait to put some pads on and get on that field,” he said.

Other universities offered Perry football scholarships, he said, but he accepted an academic scholarship at Jackson State because of the school’s engineering program.

Perry graduated with a 4.1 GPA, showing a dedication to academics.

But the voluntary football workout in nearly triple-digit heat Wednesday proved his dedication to the game.

Perry said he sometimes works out early mornings during the summer with the Natchez High football team to stay in shape for the fall.

Wednesday he trained at NHS with other Jackson State players who also grew up in Natchez.

Perry said he will miss having all his friends together once he moves to Jackson, but he looks forward to moving on from high school and eventually getting a job, possibly for the government, building infrastructure.

“Ever since I could pick up a hammer, I’ve been building things,” he said.

He said he balances school, football and friends by organizing his time.

“I have a schedule set, and I have got to stick to it,” Perry said.

Underclassmen sometimes approach him, Perry said, asking how he got so smart.

“I tell them I was born with it, but to give it everything you got because some good can come out if it eventually,” he said.

Perry said it is his parents and three older sisters who helped motivate him with their constant support.

“My parents never let me fail at anything. They’ve been that way all my life,” Perry said.

But no one was harder on Perry than himself, he said.

“If I didn’t do well (in school), I let myself down,” he said.

“I didn’t need anyone to tell me.”

And while Perry said academics, and especially his favorite subject — math — have been easy for him to grasp, he said the determination to do his absolute best came from a desire to meet his potential.

“I never wanted to short step myself,” he said.

Perry is the son of Joseph and Linda Perry.