R-JENERATION: Canyon Springs senior takes advantage of academic opportunities after move from Romania

Winning the lottery changed everything for local high-schooler Stefania Cotei and her family.

The Coteis were living in Romania five years ago when they got word that they had earned residency in the United States through the country's visa lottery.

Cotei, 18 and a senior at Canyon Springs High School, is at the top of her class with a weighted grade-point average of 4.75. That's despite speaking only French and Romanian when she arrived in the states. In Romania, the communist government banned its citizens from learning English.

"It was horrible at first, but my parents said that they came here for our education," Cotei says. "The only thing I knew how to say was, 'Hi, my name is Stefania and I am from Romania.' It motivated me to do better to make my parents and people back home proud."

Cotei learned to speak English from the Nick Jr. television show "Dora the Explorer" and from watching shows with subtitles so she could read and hear at the same time. By the time she was in eighth grade, Cotei was studying honors English and received an award as an "elite English student."

"I think I'm still learning," she says. "I really like foreign languages. I caught up with (other students) because I actually like language, and grammar was easy for me. That's what helped me understand."

Upon starting high school, Cotei had no idea what a valedictorian was, but her goal was to get straight A's. After finding out what the honorable title meant, she decided she had to achieve it.

Cotei's peers and classmates often recognize her for her intelligence and participation in extracurricular activities.

"She's the girl that everyone says 'Oh, that's the smart girl!,' " says junior Alexandra Givens.

Adds Katherine Andasol, a senior at Cheyenne High School: "She's very driven and passionate about everything she does, especially debate. She has no complaints; she's very focused, especially academically. She strives to be not adequate, but exceptional."

Cotei is involved in "We the People" and her school's mock trial team, and she's a junior classical league member, magnet program ambassador, treasurer of National Honor Society and captain of her forensics, debate and varsity quiz team.

Cotei's forensics debate coach, Julie Roos, praises Cotei's work ethic.

"Stef is an amazing student. ... She's very driven and focused. I love her, she's fantastic and she deserves to have stuff written about her."

Even amidst all of her extracurricular activities, Cotei doesn't fret over making time for studies, because she says it's important to her to succeed.

"I don't understand why people complain, like, 'Oh my God, we have so much homework, we have so much to study.' I study, but I don't study all the time. I still have time to go out with my boyfriend, or to go out with my friends or family or to watch movies," she says. "I'm interested in what I'm studying, maybe because I don't (study) because I have to. I do it because I know it's going to better my knowledge. It's really not that hard when you're putting time and effort into it because you want to better yourself, and it's not a chore."

Cotei says she enjoys making time for her schoolwork, family and friends, and her boyfriend, Adrian Romero, who's also her debate partner.

"I think she's genuine, and I think that's her best attribute," Romero says. "She doesn't expect that when she does something for you she's going to get anything in return. She just does it out of the good of her heart."

Along with school activities, Cotei volunteers for the Las Vegas Enterprise Library and for Cartwright Middle School. She belongs to the Harvard Book Club, the United States Achievement Academy and the American Legion.

Cotei says she especially cherished her time as a delegate in the Nevada Girl's State program in Lake Tahoe. Her peers elected her as one of two senators out of 150 to continue in the Girls Nation program in Washington, D.C. There, she met President Barack Obama and had breakfast with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The experience made Georgetown University her first college choice.

Cotei says she wants to major in international relations and minor in French or criminal justice. She aspires to work for the Air Force as a special investigation officer. She also wants to attend law school to become a judge advocate general, a military attorney.

After a fresh start in a new country, Cotei has quickly adjusted and has excelled academically, not because she will be grounded for bad grades, but because, as a foreigner, she values her opportunities.

"My parents are proud of me, but when I show them my grades, they don't give me money. I never get anything (for grades)," Cotei says. "They taught me to get it for myself, because that's what is most important."