All four of these stories begin with one theme: Motivation, coupled with an astute understanding that there are no guarantees in life.

Riverside-Brookfield High School seniors America Castaneda Ruvalcaba, Hanaa Bouguenous, Aryan Hernandez and Sofia Miller will graduate in a few weeks and in the fall, head off to some of the most prestigious universities in America.

Obviously, there was a lot of effort and thought over their time at RB that placed them in this position, but there were obstacles, too. But when overcome, obstacles become the basis for life skills.

The Landmark spoke with all four, looking back at their high school careers, looking forward to their next steps and their advice to other students who wish to place themselves in their position.

America Castaneda Ruvalcaba (Harvard University)

Her family moved to Brookfield for better educational opportunities, and therefore, she always knew she wanted to aim for a highly selective university. She’s the first to admit that her dream school changed over the course of high school.

“I planned on studying mechanical engineering, which is part of why I became captain of the robotics team,” she said. “At that point, MIT was my dream school. Later, after discovering my interest in medicine and biomedical research, I shifted toward neuroscience, which ultimately made Harvard my top choice.”

Like her classmates, she was able to do some pretty special things outside of the classroom. One of the most impactful was her research at the Platanias Laboratory at Northwestern’s Lurie Cancer Center. There, she developed an algorithm to analyze dysregulated genes in an acute myeloid leukemia cell line. She presented her findings at a cancer research symposium at the University of Chicago and received an award. She’ll return this summer to continue her research.

As far as her advice to younger RB students who aspire to be in her position someday, she said be wary of social media.

“I would say not to fall into the trap of ‘T10/T20 roadmap’ social media accounts that claim you need to act a certain way, do specific activities or achieve some perfect test score to get into a top college,” she said. “Universities are building diverse incoming classes and the things that make you unique matter more than people think.

“Yes, I wrote about cancer research in my applications, but I also wrote about my obsession with rhythm games,” she said. “The activities that end up mattering are usually the ones you truly care about, because passion naturally leads to deeper commitment and stronger impact.”

Hanaa Bouguenous (Yale University) 

For many months, Bouguenous had planned to attend the University of Chicago, her dream school. But then came Yale; she said she was “in complete shock” because it was so unexpected. Suddenly, she had a big decision to make.

“When I visited UChicago and Yale, the one thing that stood out the most was the warm community at Yale University,” she said. “Walking into the student reception center, I was immediately welcomed, my admissions officer even came and found me and everyone just felt open.”

Getting there, however, was a bit different path than her senior cohort. As an RB freshman, she was more interested in getting acclimated to high school, so she didn’t participate in a lot of clubs. Her mindset changed junior year, when she noticed that fellow classmates were doing things like finding summer internships.

“So as a junior, I began searching for opportunities that pertained to my interests because I felt like I was behind,” she said.

She ultimately got involved in several extracurriculars, in addition to taking a whole host of Advanced Placement classes. She also participated in two neuroscience programs during the summer before her senior year to get a sense of what her desired major would be like. 

But there’s something else. She suggests being a big reader.

“Always having a book beside me and continuously reading throughout my time at Riverside-Brookfield High School helped me tremendously when I wrote my college essays. By reading many books, you begin to see what engaging and passionate writing really sounds like.”

That’s why younger students should start writing their personal statement essay, which will take several drafts.

“By starting early, you will give yourself enough time to reflect on who you are as a person and accurately portray that in your writing,” she said.

Aryan Hernandez (Brown University or Yale University)

Brown’s version of a major is called a concentration, and Hernandez’s will be health and human biology on a dental track. He’s been admitted to Brown, often referred to as the “Happy Ivy,” one of the happiest college campuses in the U.S. But this week he was accepted off the waitlist by Yale. So suddenly, he has a big decision to make.

In addition to a sterling academic record at RB, Hernandez has been part of the Clarion student newspaper for four years, leading it as editor in chief as a senior. In addition to four years in theater, he served as a student advisor to the board of education along with Bouguenous, one of his closest friends. He also did a lot of volunteering, including virtually tutoring a seventh grader in California via Zoom for over 170 hours.

Very impressive accomplishments to be sure, but there is perspective needed here.

“If you really want to attend a highly prestigious university like an Ivy League, you have to find a balance between doing things that you legitimately enjoy and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone,” he said. “Things like Clarion and theater were integral parts of my high school career that I would do all over again if I could, but there were also nights where I pushed myself to go to the food pantry or join a Zoom session to tutor even when all I wanted was to lay in bed after a rehearsal that went to 8 p.m.”

Again, consider his perspective.

“You don’t have to do absolutely everything and work yourself to the bone, but you do have to exert yourself even when you don’t necessarily want to,” he said. “Don’t strive for perfection. Strive for the best you can do.”

Sofia Miller (University of Chicago)

Miller had wanted to attend a highly selective university since she was an RB freshman. As Hernandez offered perspective, so did Miller.

“As high school became more competitive, I definitely experienced periods of self-doubt,” said the future neuroscience major. “I think social media and the Internet can sometimes make the admissions process feel almost impossible or make students feel like they need to accomplish something extraordinary to be considered.

“Toward the end of sophomore year, though, I realized the best thing I could do was focus less on comparison and more on genuinely investing in the things I cared about.”

For example, including a rigorous course load that focused on her interests in science and medicine, she also spent a lot of time preparing for AP exams and standardized tests. But outside of school, she has trained competitively in dance, averaging up to 15 hours per week, while also participating in varsity poms and teaching dance classes in the community.

She also got involved in scientific research through a microbiology lab at Loyola University. She worked there part-time the summer after her sophomore year and full-time the summer after her junior year.

As far as her advice to younger classmates, she said pursuing activities that one truly cares about is much more important than things that might seem impressive on an application. Or not.

“Colleges can usually tell when students are involved in things for just appearances,” she said. “I also think it is much more valuable to invest deeply in a few meaningful commitments rather than trying to do everything at once.”

With all this said, the future for each of these students is bright, but so as well for the universities they will attend and the field in which they will ultimately find themselves professionally.

Their legacy, then, leads straight back to those here at school and the community that inspired them.