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Gulliver Prep senior Margaret Miao is Gulliver’s Silver Knight nominee in the area of Music and Dance.
Miao is a violinist. She’s been playing since she was seven years old.
“I am the concert mistress at school,” she says. “As concert mistress, I’m in charge of leading the orchestra in warm-ups. If the director is out, I have to lead the orchestra and conduct it.”
Miao is also the president of the orchestra. In that role she sends out reminders to the orchestra members about events that are coming up.
Miao is a top violinist. She’s so good she made the All-State Orchestra for three years.
“You have to audition. You are handpicked and they send you to Tampa to play at the All-State orchestra.”
She also leads the orchestra at her church, Old Cutler Presbyterian. That orchestra draws as many as 30-40 musicians for the holiday concerts. They usually have four to five musicians for regular church services.
She revived the community orchestra after COVID lockdowns ended.
“During COVID, everyone was in their homes and there was a lack of bonding in the community,” she says. “I talked to the music director, and he said he’s on board with me starting the orchestra again. We were able to play many performances and bring smiles back to the people of the community. Bringing the smiles back was immeasurable.”
Next year, Miao will attend Princeton where she will major in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, with a certificate program in biomedical engineering biology.
At Gulliver, she’s been in the Engineering and Robotics program.
“I recently competed in the Conrad competition,” she says.
Her team developed a wrist blood pressure monitor device. The concept was strong enough that her team made it to the competition semi-finals.
She developed a device to help those who suffer from Orthostatic Hypotension.
“It happens to everyone,” she says. “When you stand up and feel dizzy. It happens more to elderly people over 65. In nursing homes it’s more of a problem. What our device tried to do, was limit the nurse’s work. It’s an automatic device, like a biofeedback indicator. If the blood pressure is too low, it tells them to drink water, or raise their hands.”
Her first two years at Gulliver she was on the Robotics team, taking part in the First Robotics competitions. This year, she decided to play water polo instead of doing Robotics.
“I’ve been doing swimming almost all my life ,” she says. “When I got to Gulliver, sophomore year I was introduced to water polo. COVID year I didn’t do any sports. This year I picked water polo and swimming. Swimming is in the fall, water polo in the spring.”
She was the goalie for the team.
The team made it to the regional finals where they lost to Ransom Everglades by one goal.
In swimming, Miao made it to the state level three times in the 100-meter breaststroke and once in the 200-medley relay as the breaststroke leg. Her last competition was in the finals at state, contributing to the team’s placement as the state champions.
Miao is a member of the Tri-M Board, (the Music Honor Society). As a board member, she offers students community service opportunities.
“We perform for the American Legion, Lotus House, Camillus House and we also perform at the Palace.”
She’s president of Mu Alpha Theta, secretary of the National English Honor Society, a member of the Science National Honor Society, and co-president of the Chinese Club.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
