elizabeth quintana

O’Connell Student Receives Gold Medallion

By Alfonso Aguilar
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 5/3/07) quintana

Elizabeth Evelyn Quintana of Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington was among a group of 25 high school students recognized by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.
Recipients were honored for leadership and excellence in business, community service, education, engineering and mathematics, healthcare, journalism and sports.
“The award moved me a lot and it will be very useful since it also includes financial help,” said Quintana at the award ceremony hosted by Howard University in Washington, D.C., last weekend.
“I feel very proud,” said her mother, Elizabeth Quintana, a native of Peru and an Arlington resident.
“The new prize is the fruit of many years of guiding and supporting my daughter’s dreams,” she said.
The Quintana family are parishioners of St. Agnes Parish in Arlington and their daughter attended the parish elementary school.
Quintana received her award for community service. In past years she volunteered at Arlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross, at her school and parish, and made a mission trip to Kentucky to build houses.
“Volunteering has helped me to understand that I am different. I am Hispanic and have something to offer the world,” she said. “Volunteering has shown me that I have special talents that can help others. I can make an impact in the world.”
The foundation presented gold, silver and bronze medallions to Hispanic students in the regional high schools, which includes the District, Virginia and Maryland. Regional committees selected awardees from 13,000 applications submitted by graduating high school seniors of Hispanic descent. Selection criteria included academic achievement, community service, category focus and an essay about the role that their heritage has played in their lives.
“You are role models and leaders who excel inside and outside of the classroom. You and your fellow regional honorees represent the next generation of emerging Hispanic professionals,” said José Tijerino, foundation president.
Quintana’s father, Victor, said his daughter recently received a first-place award for an essay presented to El Tiempo Latino, a Spanish language publication, and several other awards in past years.
“My family helped open doors for me. I want to do the same for others. I want to help others shine and contribute to the world,” Quintana said.
Quintana will study biology at the University of Virginia and later she wants to pursue a master’s or doctorate in forensic science.