Whiz Kids: Citlali Cuevas

Name: Citlali Cuevas

Age: 17

Grade: Senior

School: Niles North High School

Accomplishment: Won the individual all-around gymnastics title in the Central Suburban League North for the third consecutive year and helped lead Niles North to its first regional gymnastics team title in school history this year.

Key to Awesomeness: “My motivation has always been the team. It’s always been being there for my teammates and my friends. They are like my family. We not only hang out in the gym, we hang out outside of the gym and we’re together all the time. I want to be able to set the bar and have the girls look at me and say ‘I want to do what she did; I want to be a leader too.’”

For Citlali Cuevas, a little childhood mischief has translated into an historic high school gymnastics career.

“When I was little I used to make a mess in my room and throw all the clothes off my closet bar and hang and swing on it, Cuevas said. “So [my parents] thought instead of doing it at home why don’t we find a more appropriate place where she can do it. So they put me in gymnastics.”

Since then Cuevas has developed into one of the best gymnasts in Chicago’s North Shore.

But through all her individual accolades and honors – including numerous trips to the state championships -- Cuevas said the team title this season was her greatest accomplishment.

“Winning the title was one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had knowing that I contributed and helped our team win and helped make history for Niles North,” Cuevas said. “I don’t know what to compare it to, it was probably the best thing that’s ever happened.”

Niles North and Cuevas, who plans to attend University of Illinois at Chicago next year and join their gymnastics team, compete next at the Niles North Sectional on Thursday.