If it’s not the best time of Ava Rathi’s life, it’s close.

She’s now a Lincoln High School graduate and class valedictorian and about to embark on adulthood, and she’s the newly crowned Rose Festival queen and happily looks forward to being a Rose Festival representative for the next year.

But her next chapter could be even more interesting.

Oh, she’s going to college, and it’s in Ireland — Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

“Since my freshman year, it’s been in the back of my mind, that I really want to go to undergrad internationally — specifically an English speaking European country,” Rathi said. Her school work at Lincoln was transferrable as standardized curriculum at Trinity, it wasn’t going to be any more cost than out-of-state tuition and “I saw that as an opportunity. Gotta give it a try. I didn’t know that I’d get in.”

She did, she’s going and it’s a future that excites her. Rathi will be studying political science and economics.

“I’m excited to meet a bunch of people who are from all over the world — European, African, Asian,” she said. “It’s a very international community (in Dublin), and I’m wanting to represent Portland.”

She’ll represent Portland, and the Rose Festival.

Being crowned Rose Festival queen in a ceremony June 6 was “surreal,” she said.

“I thought it was a long shot. I didn’t expect to hear my named called. It was unreal,” Rathi added. “For all the pictures and luncheon after that, it didn’t feel like it was real.”

Rathi said she wanted to be a Rose Festival princess — and queen — for the mentorship opportunities and “working with 14 other awesome, driven girls from around Portland, all with different backgrounds and skill sets.”

Upon being named Rose Festival queen, other queens welcomed her to what she remembers them calling “The Dent Club.” Wearing the original queen’s crown for ceremonial purposes apparently leaves dents in the forehead. “It needs to be bobby-pinned down,” Rathi said.

She will make appearances as Rose Festival queen, including at the Pendleton Round-Up, and travel to Taiwan as part of the Portland Kaohsiung Sister City Association delegation.

Rathi moved with her parents to Portland from Atlanta about nine years ago; her parents had emigrated from India many years ago.

Her father, Naveen, works in information technology and mother, Jane, in cybersecurity. Rathi calls them “my biggest support system,” and they have influenced her work ethic and emphasized doing her best and not putting too much pressure on herself.

Part of her growth came in taking part in a Lincoln High play.

“It was a student-written and acted black box production and completely outside of my comfort zone,” she said. “However, writing and performing my monologue and working closely with a talented cast gave me some confidence and allowed me to express my creativity in a new way.”

Rathi wants to study political science and economics and possibly work in public policy. She has worked for a student-run nonprofit, Mission: Citizen, which tutors immigrants about United States civics and history as part of the naturalization process.

Rathi also has been part of speech and debate and mock trial among many things.

As far as interests: “I enjoy creating art through drawing, sewing, and painting. I also love reading thriller/mystery novels and watching horror movies. And, I enjoy skiing at Mount Hood.”

Her favorite place in Portland?

“The Japanese Garden has a calm atmosphere and beautiful design. It was one of the first places I visited after moving to this city and I have been enamored with the architecture and nature since I was a kid.”