All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Technical-minded Siddartha Bushan never gave much thought to his grades during his four years as a student in Niwot's competitive International Baccalaureate program, so he was mostly surprised but also a little relieved when he learned that he was named the 2021 IB salutatorian. The Courier caught up with him shortly before graduation to hear his thoughts on his four years at Niwot High and what the next four-years has in-store. LHVC: Did you know your class ranking before the announcement?...
By his own admission, Niwot class of 2021 salutatorian James Magee doesn't have the best sense of time management, but he managed to overcome that shortcoming in high school with a good mindset toward his work, his classes, and his school experience in general. The Courier caught up with him on graduation eve to talk about his time as a Cougar and what the next four years have in store as he heads to the University of British Columbia to study math or computer science. LHVC: Obviously, you've...
A combination of familiar favorites and new sounds will be making their way to the Whistle Stop Park gazebo this summer when Niwot’s popular weekly summer concert series Rock & Rails returns to the stage on Thursday, June 3. From blues-inspired rock, to Afro-style reggae, the 2021 lineup has a little bit of something for all music fans and even a few surprises along the way, according to longtime talent manager Satir DeMarco. “I wanted to create a combination of ‘comfort food’, to honor the fol...
It was another record-setting weekend for the Niwot girls track team, as they competed in back-to-back meets at Roosevelt and Longmont on May 21 and 22. Along the way, the Cougars posted a slew of personal bests, three top Class 4A marks, and one of the fastest 800-meter times in state history. Now heading into the second half of the 2021 season, longtime Niwot track coach Maurice Henriques has just one goal for his team. "It's just to keep working hard and stay healthy," he said following the...
Anna Enssle is a freshman at Niwot High, but has taken on some challenges that are normally confronted by older students. In an email, Niwot choir Director Laura Walters said that Enssle is an "amazing leader," and has made choir "an incredible place this year." "Anna Enssle is a freshman in Sedalia, one of our auditioned choirs...She is very confident learning and singing her music, has an amazingly positive attitude, and goes above and beyond wherever we need her in class. She has a lovely...
With 10 goals and 2 assists in five games, speedy senior Kiera Flanagan has led the Niwot girls soccer team to a 5-0 start to the 2021 season, and a 36-4 scoring advantage over its opponents. In three of her starts, the fourth-year varsity forward and captain has scored multiple goals, including four at Roosevelt on May 13. At mid-way through the short season, she is the leading scorer in the Longs Peak League, and sixth overall in Class 4A. For second-year head coach Jenna Machado, Flanagan is...
"I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy.....Born on the 4th of July" The line from "Yankee Doodle Dandy" fits the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band, which first performed on July 4, 2005, as part of the bandstand dedication ceremony in Whistle Stop Park. "The Niwot Business Association built a bandstand in the park reminiscent of the bandstand that stood for many years on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Murray Street," Biff Warren, one of the founding band members said. "We had everything ready...
Dark clouds cleared just in time for last Friday's car parade honoring 2021 Niwot High School Graduates. Starting at 7 p.m. a fire truck escorted the lead car with principal Eric Rauschkolb and more than thirty other decorated vehicles that made their way down Niwot Road and 2nd Avenue. The parade was organized by volunteers who wanted to honor the students rather than by the school or the school's booster club. It kicked off at the Niwot High School parking lot, and an hour before start time, g...
If a high school student were to look up the average cost of a four-year college in Colorado, they'd likely find a figure around $8,364 per year for tuition and fees, which works out to just more than $33,000 per year. This figure doesn't include mandatory fees, housing or other estimated costs of post-secondary education. This can be daunting for many students, and especially those who would be first-generation higher education applicants, which often includes a higher percentage of students...
Alex Williams joined the Niwot High theater tech crew as a freshman, hoping to learn more about stage lighting and design. Four years later, not only has "Goose" become a lighting "wizard," according to faculty stage manager Jason Watkins, but also an indispensable member of the crew who won't be easy to replace. "I have known Goose for three years, and it has been extremely wonderful to see him progress in that time," Watkins said in an email. "He is my right hand man this year. Being an...
When Joaquin Herrera enrolls at Adams State University in August, he will become the first student in his family to attend college, a goal that seemed out of reach when he entered high school. But late in his freshman year, the affable Herrera made a decision that seemed straightforward at the time, but would end up having life-changing ramifications. "I played soccer in the fall, and then during the spring, I went out for track just to get faster, and just to sprint," he said. As it turned...
The Jon Hill era is set to begin for the Niwot girls basketball team with the program finding its new head coach. Niwot Athletic Director Joe Brown announced the move on May 5 following the retirement of longtime head coach and Colorado High School Athletics Association Hall of Famer, Terri Ward. Although Ward has stepped away from coaching, she will remain around the program in a mentorship role. Hill said he looks forward to bringing a fresh energy to the program while having Ward's wisdom...
Eli Buzas brought the idea of forming an education foundation to Niwot High School from Florida when he moved to Colorado in 1991. Buzas, who died earlier this year of COVID-19 complications, envisioned a foundation that did more than provide scholarships to students. Other school foundations in the school district raised money for scholarships, but Buzas had in mind a foundation that could fund current projects as well as develop a long-range funding program. Through his leadership while workin...
For Niwot High band director Wade Hendricks, students like Jacob Pennington don't come around very often. Both a talented musician and gifted student, the junior is both a role model to his fellow bandmates and a delight to have in class. "[Jacob] has lent his abilities to our groups on both trumpet and piano, jumping in and doing whatever is asked of him," Hendricks said in an email. "He is a fantastic soloist and has a great ear, analyzing chords and harmonies before I can figure them...
The past year has been challenging for prospective college athletes, particularly those who missed their junior seasons of competition in the spring of 2020. But for 15 Niwot High athletes, the arduous journey through the virtual recruiting process came to a satisfying end at the school's Letter of Intent signing ceremony on May 3. "This is probably the hardest year in the history of college athletics to have an opportunity to play at the collegiate level," Niwot High athletics and activities...
Whether it's first thing in the morning or a break later in the day, time with coffee in-hand is practically a ceremonial daily act. The emotional warmth of that ritual is nearly equal to the physical enjoyment it delivers. Part of that anticipated experience includes the kind people who provide that soul hugging treat such as Winot Coffee's manager Mary Jo Wysocki. The Courier wanted to learn more about the familiar face that is as uplifting as our daily cup of java. Left Hand Valley Courier...
Jason Champion has spent many nights at Niwot's Rock & Rails summer concert series, volunteering as a Gargoyle for several years, one of the many youths who sit on top of the bins and supervise the compost and recycle deposits at the popular event. Now a sophomore at Niwot High School, Champion was looking for an Eagle Scout project in the Niwot community, and Whistle Stop Park was a natural fit. Jason and his father, Jay Champion, contacted the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA), owner of t...
Junior Nguyen Pham is a talented student in Niwot High's IB art program who prefers to let her artistry do the talking. She is currently enrolled in a 3-D design course at the school, where she has worked with everything from metal and plaster, to wood and clay. Last month, one of her sculptures was featured in St. Vrain Unframed student art show, a virtual showcase of the most interesting student artwork from schools around the district. Pham's submission resulted from an assignment to create...
Niwot's quest for a 4A boys soccer state title came to an abrupt end on April 28, at the hands of the eventual champions, the Windsor Wizards. The Cougars' defense didn't have an answer for Windsor senior John Burnett who scored both Wizards' goals in their 2-1 victory. Niwot senior Keegan Stobbe netted the Cougars' lone goal in their lowest offensive output since a March 20 loss to Skyview. Despite the outcome, there was a lot to be proud of this season for head coach Stephen Dimit. In...
Niwot fans were in high spirits as the players took the court at the Class 4A Region 7 volleyball tournament on May 1, eager to see the number-10 seed Cougars battle their way back to the state championships. But levity turned to concern as Niwot's first match against No. 18 seed Erie progressed, and momentum never seemed to stay with the Cougars long before an error or foul call would intervene. That made it impossible for the offense to find its rhythm, and Erie took advantage of a team on...
Niwot Elementary's Jessica Easley says she has an amazing job. Her passion for teaching and dedication to her students earned her Teacher of the Year for her school, an award she's won multiple times in her career. "It is a tremendous honor to have been chosen for this award," Easley wrote in an email after being honored at the Tribute to Teachers celebration on Friday night. "I am very grateful. I have taught for 26 years, most of them in Niwot. I love my job and my students. I am excited to...
It's not every teen who can find an emergency bandmate in their house, let alone one who can play Zimbabwean music. When Niwot High senior Noah Randall couldn't play in-person with his band during the pandemic, he would say, "Hey Mom, can you play with me?" It makes sense since she is the one who introduced him to music from Zimbabwe. She saw a band in Boulder and decided to take lessons on the marimba, an instrument similar to a xylophone. Randall was in elementary school at the time and had...
Niwot freshman Juliette Molina has been appearing on stage since age seven, but when the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled live performances in 2020, the accomplished singer and actor decided to broaden her creative horizons. Over the past several months, she has been writing, directing, and starring in a one-woman film called "Passion Project," about a student who is struggling to choose a path in life. "My character is in high school, and all of her friends know what they want to do for college,...
On April 24, the fast-paced 2021 gymnastics season wrapped up at the Class 4A state championships with a familiar name on top of the all-around standings. With top-five scores in each rotation, Niwot gymnast Mia Curry successfully defended her state all-around title, and led her team to third place overall in the process. Afterwards, Cougar head coach Marisa Purcell called the junior's performance "phenomenal," especially after such a challenging year. "She did a great job," Purcell said. "She...
Last year, Niwot's signature summer music series, Rock & Rails, went off the rails thanks to pandemic-related safety restrictions. This year, event organizers are doing everything they can to get it back on track. "Right now, we have most of our regular favorites ready to return on the stage," said Satir DeMarco, who is in charge of arranging performers, managing the stage and emceeing the event. "We know people like to get out and dance. And we need to come together to comfort and appreciate...
The Niwot Community Association board of directors has decided not to hold its traditional July 4 parade this year, NCA president David Limbach announced at the group's annual meeting on April 14. NCA board members agreed that it's too hard to predict what Boulder County's COVID-19 incidence rate and restrictions will be in July. "It would be nearly impossible to plan a traditional parade that doesn't promote gathering," said Limbach. Instead, the NCA will host a "motorcade parade" to bring the...
Former Niwot High School student, Cruz Gutierrez, died Sat. April 10, 2021 at age 19 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Cruz attended Niwot High School during his freshman and sophomore years, from 2015-2017. Services have been held. Visit Cruz Gutierrez Obituary - Longmont, CO (dignitymemorial.com) to leave condolences.... Full story
April is National Volunteer month, a moment when the US acknowledges and honors the impressive impact volunteers make by giving their time and energy. We can all make the world a better place by volunteering in big and small ways, and while pitching in, you're also bringing health and happiness to yourself. Here's a list of nearby organizations where volunteers make a huge difference. Note: For the past year, we've been told to stay socially distant during the pandemic, but many organizations...
It's always a great honor to be named a finalist for Teacher of the Year, but this year's group earned recognition in a pandemic year that brought unforeseen challenges to them, students and schools. Their principals praised them for finding new and creative ways to engage and support students, while adapting to teaching virtually or in socially distanced and masked classrooms. Each St. Vrain Valley School District has three finalists and will eventually have a winner chosen from their school...
It's been nearly two years since the Niwot girls golf team played its last round, but head coach Ed Weaver isn't mourning the lost 2020 season. With two proven veterans and some promising new prospects in 2021, he's focused on picking up right where the Cougars left off-with a Class 4A state title in their sights. "What I'm trying to do is just business as usual," he said about how his team weathered the long layoff. "Not looking backwards and just looking to today and forward and trying to...
With a score of 169.375, the Niwot gymnastics team claimed first place at the Class 4A Region 3 meet, held April 15 at Overland High School in Aurora. The Cougars were led on the day by Mia Curry, who scored 35.800 to place first in the individual all-around standings. The junior, whose home school is Silver Creek, posted top scores in floor (9.3) and bars (8.925), and took second overall in vault (8.75) and beam (8.825). Joining her as all-around competitors for the Cougars were veterans Ava...
Found either on a bike or working on one, Fernando Tapia is one of Niwot's most Familiar Faces. From the day the doors opened and through the relocation to its expanded space, Tapia has been part of Niwot Wheel Works bike shop and the new Wheel House Bar. With more than 35 years of experience, this master bike mechanic is the go-to person when it comes to bike maintenance. Niwot Wheel Works and Wheel House Bar owner Eric Bergeson said, "Fernando is the definition of a master in his trade. He is...
The Rotary Club of Niwot is currently the only nationally chartered service club meeting in Niwot. While the Niwot area has in the past had Optimists,Lions, Jaycees and Kiwanis clubs, the local rotary club now serves the community in a variety of ways, with a focus on education. “We just celebrated our 12th anniversary,” Doug Montgomery said of the organization which was formed in 2008. “It’s alive, it’s active, it’s growing.” Montgomery served as president of the Niwot club until July of 2020, and will become president of the affiliated ch...
Even when Niwot sophomore Audrey Asbury was a child, she loved music and would run around the house singing. At age five, her mother signed her up for a theater summer camp and she's been performing ever since. "Theater is one of the most important aspects of my life, it doesn't only bring me joy, but the arts allow me to bring joy to the people around me," she said. Asbury's come a long way from that summer camp years ago. Now, she's involved in Niwot's theater, has participated at Thescon and...
Cruising to a 7-0 victory at Severance High School on April 8, the Niwot boys soccer team secured a perfect 9-0 record to win the 3A/4A Longs Peak League. “They worked so hard for this,” said head coach Stephen Dimit. “They prepared all year long however they could to get ready to do this. To win the league and to win it as dominantly as we did, that's big.” The win over Severance came on the heels of a 6-0 win over Roosevelt on April 5 and a 10-0 win over Mountain View on April 6. In Niwot’s final six games of the season, the Cougars o...
There wasn't much drama in Niwot soccer's 6-0 rout of Roosevelt on April 5, but at least one play will always be memorable to Carter Kruse, a longtime varsity defender who suddenly found himself with an unprecedented chance. "There was not much of a lead up to it," the senior said of the play that resulted in his first-ever high school goal. "Orlando [Lopez] was fouled inside the edge of the box...and then Coach Dimit called me forward to take [the penalty kick]. While it was fun to score, I...
The past 12 months have been especially challenging for independent musicians, and many are still struggling to make ends meet as pandemic restrictions on large gatherings linger. To help those in need, local singer/songwriter Taylor Shae and aid organization Rocky Mountain Music Relief are partnering for a benefit concert at The Wheel House (101 2nd Avenue in Niwot) on Saturday, April 10. "It has been a really tough time," Shae, a 2018 graduate of Silver Creek High School, said. "But when I...
Pat Murphy is known for many things in Niwot, including organizing the annual Easter egg hunt and the Great Pumpkin Party, both of which have been curtailed or modified by the pandemic. But one activity the long-time Niwot resident and realtor has maintained through thick and thin – providing cookies and other goodies in care packages to U.S. troops far from home, through the efforts of the Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms, or the "cookie momsters" as they have recently come to be known. Murphy s...
Activists from the organization Please Understand Mature Attraction (PUMA) are putting pressure on administrators at Niwot High to change the school's longtime Cougar mascot, a symbol they say is offensive. "Our culture is not your caricature," President Venus Hunter (56) of PUMA said during a protest held in Cottonwood Quadrangle. "We are real people, with real emotions, and don't like to see ourselves reduced to a cartoon." More than a dozen PUMA members attended the demonstration, which gathe...
The Niwot High School Education Foundation is gearing up for its annual online auction, and thanks to robust support from sponsors, it should be an exciting one for potential bidders, according to the group's president Mako Shimoda. "This year, everybody's been so generous, knowing that we've been unable to do our normal fundraising," she said, noting that there are donations from businesses in Niwot, Longmont, and Boulder. "So we have a fair amount of items-lots of various restaurant gift...
Niwot students in the IB program are expected to spend 18 months on their CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) projects. That may seem daunting to future students, but according to senior Hannah Ferrero, "Some of the most challenging experiences can lead to the most satisfying feeling." She and her partner, fellow senior Eleanor Born, teamed up to work on CAS together and were very excited about the finished project. "When brainstorming for my CAS project, NOLS came to mind right away," said Born...
Flaunting a 3-1 record through March 29, the Niwot boys soccer team has shown dominance on both sides of the ball. Through four games, the Cougars have outscored opponents 27-4 including back-to-back 10-goal outputs in wins over Berthoud on March 23 and Riverdale Ridge on March 25. Prior to Niwot's 10-1 win over Riverdale Ridge, the Cougs' nine seniors were honored on the Niwot pitch. Both Ashton Campie and Aidan Martin relished their senior day as they each scored three goals. "He (Martin) can...
BASEBALL Ford Ladd (Niwot) finished his collegiate career as a pitcher at New York University and has joined the coaching staff at Georgia Gwinnett College as Coordinator of Research & Development. In his final game at NYU, Ladd played first base and went 1-4 at the plate, scoring a run and driving in two runs in an 11-0 victory over John Jay College March 9, 2020. A day earlier, he went 1-3 as a DH in both games of a doubleheader sweep of Stockton University with a run and an RBI in the second...
It's all about the dirt. Improving the soil improves the plants, improves the yield, improves the quality and amount of locally grown food, and benefits the environment, which is why Boulder County is investing more than $300,000 in grants to local agricultural projects and farms through the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Funds. Michael Moss of Kilt Farms has two properties he leases from the county. One of them, on the Diagonal Highway west of Niwot is a productive organic vegetable farm. But...
Niwot senior MacKenzie Demmel seems pleased to have participated in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and her advice to those considering the program is to just try it. "I know that IB might seem daunting, but it really is the best path you can choose," she said. "It forces you to have a very involved and active high school experience, and you'll be surprised by how much you can accomplish when you have things like CAS [creativity, action, service] to push you." CAS adds a unique...
The Colorado State Legislature passed HB 19-1261 in 2019 to confront the global climate crisis. A year later, the governor's energy Office drafted a roadmap for how to confront greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but this roadmap has been criticized by a number of environmental organizations. Since the release of the roadmap, 60 organizations came together to send a joint letter to the Polis administration. On Thursday, March 18 Maya Beauvineau, president of Niwot High School's Environmental Club,...
Niwot senior Grable Howie is passionate about music. His advice to music students: "Take risks, never back down from a challenge, and surround yourself with people who will push you and help you become better. Always believe in yourself, and never let any amount of criticism stop you. If you want to become a musician, put in the work, and never quit." Howie certainly hasn't quit, and it's possible that his incredible drive was inspired by his parents, who are musicians as well. He's done...
Niwot head gymnastics coach Marisa Purcell was candid about how the 16-month layoff between the high school seasons had impacted the skills of her gymnasts. With gyms and recreation centers closed during lockdown periods, team members had difficulty getting training time on a consistent basis, and that could set back many of the gains she saw from her youthful team during the successful 2019 season. "We just haven't had a lot of places to go," she said. "That's been the hardest part, not...
Niwot's long-delayed 2021 volleyball season is off to an undefeated start, and senior Natasha Terekhova is one of the main reasons why. Now in her fourth year with the varsity, the athletic outside hitter is a major contributor on both offense and defense as well as a natural team leader. Though her final season isn't going quite the way she once envisioned, Terekhova is thrilled to be back on the court with her Cougar teammates playing the game she has loved since fourth grade. "There's so...
It wasn't the final run that Niwot High School senior Emily Creek dreamed of, but she's grateful she got to be part of a team and go to the state championships all four years of her high school career. Creek raced for Nederland High School and was in second place in slalom after her first run at Loveland Ski Area on Friday. But on her second run she went over a gate and had to stop and hike back up to get back on course. She still finished in 19th place. "My nerves get to me at state, and I...
