Eva Quevedo Rubio

Age: 17

Parents' names: Laura Valls and Jorge Quevedo

High school: Maharishi School

Cumulative GPA: 3.65

Activities through the school: Student Council: Vice President (Being the part of student council for my entire high school career, with varying roles progressively ranking higher, I gained the trust of the student body, planning several events for student development, collaborations connections.

Destination Imagination: Visual designer and creator for the artistic backdrops/scenery and costumes for the DI team. Qualified for globals, placing top 10 2 consecutive years, internationally. Also placed 1st globally for instant challenge, which requires quick problem, solving and thinking.

NHS: NHS President. NHS selects students on the basis of excellence demonstrated in all aspects, such as education, leadership, service etc. The teachers then nominate the best picks from the school to be sent in for consideration.

Speech: Participating in the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) has profoundly impacted my personal growth. This competition not only enhanced my public speaking skills but also instilled a newfound confidence in me. It inspired me to explore activities beyond my comfort zone, shaping my character and encouraging me to embrace new opportunities in life.

Rocketry: Fundraised over $5000 for the NASA Student launch Initiative program, creating connections with businesses and collaborating with the university in town, whilst teaching a spreading awareness about the program and rocket science.

Other clubs: Terracycle (paid): Terracycle is a recycling company that repurposes the traditionally non-recyclable waste by using "Zero Waste Boxes" that are split into different categories like: Beauty Products and Packaging, Plastic Packaging, Art Supplies, Batteries etc. With the “zero waste boxes” spread around town, I move around town collecting and sorting different materials like makeup products, electronics, plastic packaging etc. to ensure sustainability and to keep our town cleaner and more sustainable.

Future plans: I am not committed yet but the University of Pittsburgh is my top choice to go to college. Wherever I go I will be majoring in Biology/Biological Sciences on a Sports Medicine PA track. From the comfort of my desk I’ve explored how athletes optimize their performance and recovery. F1 in particular fascinates me because of the extreme mental and physical demands that are placed on the drivers. I've learnt how they use techniques like neck and core training to combat G-forces or how they train with simulators to perfect their muscle memory. This interest has shaped my academic path greatly. Majoring in biology feels like the perfect way to explore the science behind these sports. I want to uncover the mechanisms that make high level performance possible, like understanding the cellular processes involved in recovery. My ultimate goal is to work with athletes to prevent injuries, aid recovery and optimize their performances.

How will your high school experiences help you in coming years? My high school experience will help me in various ways, academically, socially and personally. We do a lot of college prep work so that our transition to higher learning in smoother. Our school is so diverse with students from all over the world (China, India, Ukraine, Vietnam and more) Having such diverse peers to learn from will definitely help me in connecting with students from various backgrounds. One unique aspect of our school is our Transcendental Meditation practice which we do twice a day. Being able to carry this special skill over into college will be especially beneficial in the times where I feel super overwhelmed and will help me keep balanced. From the leadership roles I’ve taken on in Student Council to the teamwork I’ve experienced in Destination Imagination and Rocketry, my high school has taught me how to be adaptable, resourceful, and resilient. These experiences have given me the confidence to take on new challenges. No matter where I go next, I know that the lessons I’ve learned at Maharishi School will stay with me.

Fondest memory of high school? It's very hard to pick just one memory. Some of my fondest memories come from being part of my school’s Destination Imagination (DI) team. For the past 2 years, my team has made it to the Global Finals, where we travel to Kansas City, MO, to compete against teams from all over the world. While the competition itself is always exciting, what I treasure most are the moments in between—the late-night team hangouts in the hotel lobby, exploring the city together, and the inside jokes that only we understand. One memory that stands out was the time we had to study for our finals while at Globals. Instead of stressing alone, we turned it into a team effort, staying up until the early hours of the morning, quizzing each other, and finding ways to make studying fun. (and falling asleep under the table in the conference room).

Which teachers have had the biggest impact on you and why? I would say that Ms. Kaye Jacob has definitely had the biggest impact on me. She helped me greatly improve my writing skills to levels that I wouldn’t have thought i could do. Writing essays has always been my weak spot during school and throughout the years I have felt my confidence and efficiency levels increase greatly while writing due to all the help she has given me. Thanks to her, I no longer see essays as something intimidating but as an opportunity to refine my thoughts and make an impact with my words. Her influence has given me a skill that will benefit me for the rest of my life, whether in college or my career.

Who is your role model and how did they influence you? My mom, Laura Valls, is my role model. Every time I see her, I think, “This is how I want to be when I grow up.” She is constantly making sure that everything is taken care of, not just for our family but for everyone around her. She balances strength and kindness effortlessly, always offering support and guidance, no matter how busy she is. What inspires me the most about her is her resilience. No matter what challenges come her way, she faces them head-on, with determination. She has taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and compassion—qualities that I strive to embody in my own life. Whenever I doubt myself or feel overwhelmed, I think about how she would handle the situation, and that gives me the confidence to keep pushing forward.

What is special about your high school? As I mentioned before we have two unique qualities at our school. We practice Transcendental Meditation twice a day every day and we integrate principles of life into our everyday classes. Another part that is special is how diverse we are. Over the years we have had students from over 10 countries at our school and currently have students from countries like Vietnam, China, India, South Korea, Ukraine, France, the UK and more (and the US of course). Learning in such an internationally diverse environment has broadened my worldview, allowing me to learn from different cultures, perspectives, and traditions. It has prepared me to connect with people from all walks of life

If you go back to when you were a freshman, what advice would you give yourself? I've always had a hard time accepting change in myself. I would always tell people that it was ok not to be 100% sure with a choice or that it was in fact ok to change but never was able to listen to my own advice. I didn't even think I fully accepted this view until the start of this year when I abruptly decided I no longer wanted to be a biomedical engineer - a career I had been thinking about for a few years before. In my mind, this change couldn't have come at a worse time. Right in the middle of college searching and applications I had to switch gears and redo my college list. As I look back at it now, I know that it was a blessing because I might have not realized that my true passion lies in sports medicine. So if I were to go back to freshman Eva I would tell her that it's okay to change and that every decision you make will lead you down a path in life that is meant for you.

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