His more than 1,700 hours of volunteer service in many different areas, especially tutoring, made him stand out in a crowded field of overachieving students. It helped him earn a place as a 2011 U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of two students from North Carolina being recognized as an outstanding high school senior.

Turner, known as Jim to family and friends, ends his high school career later this month as Middle Creek High School's valedictorian. And soon after, he departs for the Presidential Scholar program June 18-21 in Washington, D.C.

On his return to the Triangle, he will continue a research apprenticeship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Shaw University. And this fall, he will begin his mechanical engineering major at N.C. State University as a Park Scholar, an honor that provides full tuition for four years.

Q: Among all these other distinctions, you found the time to run a nonprofit, Heartbeats for Kids. How did that come about?

A: I learned to fold origami in elementary school. I wanted to use it to help other people. One day, I was listening to the radio and heard people who had gone to the UNC Children's Hospital talking about how it had helped them. The hospital helps kids regardless of their ability to pay. So I used the origami to raise funds for the hospital.

I started Heartbeats about five or six years ago, when I was in middle school.

Q: How did you raise money?

A: My primary Heartbeats for Kids effort was making and selling note cards which were embellished with origami models - a beating heart action model that could be removed from the card and made to "beat," a butterfly and a crane.

Additionally, on occasion I accepted special requests and I donated whatever I was given for those projects to the N.C. Children's Hospital, too. One time I folded about 50 oversized cranes with 24-inch wingspans for a special event at Windsor Point retirement home in Fuquay.

Q: How did you rack up 1,700 hours of community service?

A: It was mostly tutoring. For the last three years, I have tutored students who take English as a Second Language during my lunch. I also started the Math Tutoring Center at my school.

I also attended the Shelton Leadership Challenge at N.C. State, where students learn about leadership for one week during the summer. For the past two years, I've been on staff, and I'm on the planning committee for it during the school year.

Q: What is the apprenticeship you've worked on with the EPA?

A: I'm going to go back and work for the same team this summer. I write software to analyze experimental data to determine how chemicals affect neurons. We want a quick, cheap way to determine which chemicals will be toxic without testing the chemicals on animals.

Q: Will your apprenticeship lead to a career? What are your career goals?

A: I plan to major in mechanical engineering and probably get a Ph.D. One career I'm considering is product development.

Q: A Middle Creek H.S. teacher, Mike James, is listed as your most influential teacher. How did he affect you?

A: Mr. James taught me world history my freshman year. He shows an interest in his students and follows them outside the classroom. I believe he really cares what happens to his students and cares what happens to me.

Q: As valedictorian, you must be almost ready to give your speech. Are you ready?

A: Middle Creek does not require the valedictorian to give a speech, so I won't be giving one at graduation. Students can audition for that honor. I have to say, it's a relief.