by Aubrey Cummings

2026 Lilly Endowment Scholarship winner, senior Lizty Rubio, is a significant part of JHS and her community beyond Jeff.  She is an active member of the swim team, the Anchor Club, the National Honor Society, and represents the school as a student ambassador.

“Litzy is a compassionate, strong, and dependable person. Because she’s in such high classes and she works for so much of what she has, and her leadership positions just show how dependable she can be, and for each of those, she has to be very compassionate,” stated junior Macyn Jackson.

Rubio is known as a leader in everything she does. In her junior year, she served as the co-president of the Student Council, along with representing the Senior Class as vice president this year. 

“I feel like being involved in the school allows me to be better prepared for my future. I used to be shy and kept to myself, but my sports and clubs have allowed me to expand on everything,” explained Rubio.

Being a student-athlete can make or break a person.  They have to have a strong will and determination to succeed, along with balancing the aspects of school, sports, and life in general.  But it can also lead to so much more than just medals and trophies.

“Some of my best memories and friendships have come alongside the sports I have done,” said Rubio. “The people are like a second family to me; we wake up early in the morning for practice and leave late at night from meets. I am with them all the time, even during the holidays.” 

These friendships could last a lifetime.

“Litzy truly is someone I look up to. She sets an example for everyone, showing that if you really want to do something, you can,” senior Mari Bush explained.

Rubio plans to potentially attend Purdue University to pursue her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and possibly earn her master’s degree in architecture to become an architectural engineer.