All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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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...
Prior to Niwot's season finale on March 5, girls basketball head coach Terri Ward shed a few tears while completing her routine sweep of the gym floor. Ward had been doing the same monotonous chore before home games for almost 30 years, but with her decision to retire following this one, it dawned on her that this would be her last time. "It's hard to stop being what defines you or who you are and I think this does, because this is who I am, this is what I've done," Ward said. "And to leave...
You're in the midst of Thomas Studholme's artwork when you shop and stroll in Niwot. Studholme's paintings are found throughout the Niwot Market and likely, Studholme himself is at the market, so mask aside, he's got a very recognizable face. For the last four years, he's painted holiday scenes on the windows of local businesses and won several awards as a result. We asked this Familiar Face some questions to get to know the man behind the art. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - How did life...
The International Baccalaureate (IB) program was created in 1968 as part of an effort of "creating a better world through education." Nearly 30 years later in 2001, Niwot High School was authorized to become an IB school and offer students the opportunity to participate in this academically rigorous program. But IB isn't just about difficult classes and stressful tests. To complete the program, the students must complete an extended essay, a course called "theory of knowledge" and a CAS...
The Niwot boys didn't end up on the winning end of the score in their 2021 season finale, but even that wasn't enough to dampen Michael "Misha" Barrett's spirits before, during, and after the game. A longtime Cougar basketball fan, the three-point specialist has dreamed about suiting up for the Niwot varsity since middle school, and on March 5, he finally got the chance to do just that in front of a supportive home crowd. "I will remember this moment for the rest of my life," the senior said...
The challenging 2021 season finally got the best of coach Bobby Matthews and the Niwot wrestling team at the Class 4A Region 3 qualifying tournament at Loveland High on March 5-6. Despite a season-best effort from most of his wrestlers, no Cougars advanced far enough in their respective brackets to capture a berth to the upcoming state championships. But there were also a number of positives during the weekend, and Matthews is already looking forward to seeing all but one of the youthful squad...
School volunteer Lydia Moy looks at every opportunity and raises it up a notch. "Your job is not to do 10,000 cutout Valentines for second grade, your job is to spread the love," Moy said. Moy has been spreading the love for 14 years in elementary, middle and now high school. She's a realtor who used to work with emerging markets in finance, which she said helped her think about the big picture, "I'm a long term person." That mentality influences the way she approaches volunteering. When she...
It has been an adversity-filled but ultimately fruitful journey at Niwot for girls basketball senior Adeline Spencer. Through undergoing knee surgery during her sophomore year and now navigating a pandemic season, Spencer has learned the value of perseverance sooner than most. Even more, her lone season on varsity this winter has been derailed with hip and leg issues. Spencer said she will be having hip arthroscopy surgery followed by a derotational femoral osteotomy procedure once the season en...
The sport of lacrosse has exploded across Colorado schools and recreation leagues in recent years, and now it's coming to Boulder County. Starting Sunday, April 11, Niwot resident and former collegiate lacrosse player Neema Kassaii will be conducting a weekly youth lacrosse clinic at East Boulder Community Park (5660 Sioux Drive). "The clinic is geared towards beginners and intermediate level players, especially at the younger age groups, as we will be teaching/reinforcing the basics," he wrote...
The wins are still hard to come by for the youthful Niwot wrestling team in 2021, but head coach Bobby Matthews sees promising signs amid the losses that should pay off down the road. "We're getting much better," he said after a four-way meet hosted by Severance High School on Feb. 20, with Erie and Longmont. "Overall, our practices have been much better. And they're listening, I'm seeing it. And they're having better results, they are going deeper in matches, and the deeper you can go and score...
For seven years the Bowhaus in Gunbarrel has provided furry family members with daycare and boarding. While the pooches are playing with friends and relaxing in a safe environment, they're likely to spend time with two long-time employees, Klare Black and Suzi Hendrix. We wanted to learn more about these two familiar faces in the community. Left hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where did you grow up, and how did Colorado become your home? Klare Black (KB) - I'm the middle child of seven siblings,...
The addition of the "purple" on the COVID dial last November made the six color levels more like stepping stones between safety level precautions, rather than jumps. With the recent downgrade to level yellow (concern), businesses in Niwot appear to be largely the same. The most notable difference is restaurants are allowed to have indoor dining. "It's [COVID restrictions] definitely taken a toll," said a WiNot Coffee employee. " I think that since the restrictions have been lowered, and having...
Like all seniors in the class of 2021, Niwot girls basketball point guard Grace Wardle has been dealt a rough hand. The Cougars' season had already been cut down to 14 games and that number is even lower for Wardle. She has played in just three games this season and has missed another three and counting due to COVID-19 exposure protocols. Wardle said it has been hard to watch her team play from the virtual sideline in what has been a "disappointing" thorn in her senior season. Despite the...
The Niwot girls swim team extended its streak of dominating dual victories to three with a 151-35 win over the brand-new team from Frederick High on Feb. 11. Along the way, Cougar swimmers posted a slew of season-best times and solidified their case as one of the top contenders for the Class 4A title in 2021. "That's one of our strengths at Niwot, the versatility of our swimmers," first-year coach Kyle Bachrodt said following the meet at Carbon Valley Recreation Center. "They can really swim...
Eli Earl Buzas, 70, of Arvada, Colorado, lost his battle with COVID-19 on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. He is remembered by his mother Saveta Buzas, loving wife Christine Brott Buzas, sister Elizabeth "Betty" Buzas, brother George Buzas married to Kim Buzas, daughter Melinda Holt married to Don Holt residing in Arvada, son Matthew Buzas married to Sandra Buzas residing in Evergreen, and Joseph Lonn married to Anthony Lonn residing in Sydney, Australia, and grandchildren Thomas and Natalie... Full story
Sue Prahl couldn't hold back her emotions while talking about her dear friend Eli Buzas. "I just remember his huge heart," Prahl said. The two met in the 1990s when their daughters both played varsity soccer for Niwot High, and then bonded while working together for the school's education foundation. After their girls graduated, Prahl and Eli's wife Chris were officemates while on staff at the high school, and the two families remained close. By then Eli Buzas, a realtor by profession, was also...
After a disappointing 0-2 start to its season, the Niwot girls basketball team took a step in the right direction, but fell to the Longmont Trojans on Feb. 3, 45-33. Head coach Terri Ward blamed a poor first quarter in which the Cougars were outscored 14-1 for Niwot's eventual demise. "You can't score one point (in a quarter) in a varsity game and expect to win," Ward said. "It's not going to do it." Fortunately for Niwot, they settled in during the second quarter to claw back into the game....
It would have been understandable if Josh Armas had skipped the 2021 Niwot wrestling season. After all, Boulder County COVID-19 rules chased away all but his most intrepid teammates, leaving him as one of eight on the team and the lone representative from the senior class. He was also facing a demanding class schedule, all AP and IB classes, and he could have used the extra time for homework. But Armas has never been one to take the easy way out, and abandoning the team and sport he loves never...
When COVID first appeared on the public radar last year, there was a lot of inconsistent information around masks, social distancing, what you could do and what you shouldn't. Confusion caused by inconsistent government orders and signs continues to be a problem, and has led to hostile encounters on public trails in and around Niwot and Gunbarrel. "One of the things we noticed at the very beginning was we wanted to make sure people knew that going outside for a walk, taking a hike, was...
Eli Earl Buzas, 70, of Arvada, Colorado, lost his battle with COVID-19 on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. He is remembered by his mother Saveta Buzas, loving wife Christine Brott Buzas, sister Elizabeth "Betty" Buzas, brother George Buzas married to Kim Buzas, daughter Melinda Holt married to Don Holt residing in Arvada, son Matthew Buzas married to Sandra Buzas residing in Evergreen, and Joseph Lonn married to Anthony Lonn residing in Sydney, Australia, and grandchildren Thomas and Natalie... Full story
In a year full of challenges, educators have gone above and beyond to support their students. Teachers have been placed in situations they didn't ask for and had to quickly build new skills to reach learners who were often on the other side of a screen. Now, the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation and the St. Vrain Valley School District are asking those who know of someone who has gone to lengths to help their student, to nominate them for 2021's Teacher of the Year award....
With just one week to prepare, Niwot girls basketball opened its season on the wrong side of the scoreboard against Roosevelt on Jan. 26 and Riverdale Ridge on Jan. 30. Head coach Terri Ward dubbed Roosevelt a top-10 4A team and the Roughriders left Niwot's home court with a 79-19 win. Senior Grace Wardle led the Cougars in scoring with six points on a pair of three-pointers. Another senior, MacKenzie Demmel, who took last season off to play volleyball, used her hops to snag nine rebounds....
The Class of 2020 may have lost prom and a conventional graduation to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Class of 2021 is on track to lose an entire academic year and, with it, most activities and milestones. For a deeply engaged student like MacKenzie Demmel, the loss has been hard to take, but she has found refuge on the basketball and volleyball courts for Niwot, and is determined to make the most of her final seasons there. "I think what I've missed the most is, there's not really as many...
It started with putting barrettes in her cat's fur when she was three years old. Liz Edge always knew she wanted to work as a hairstylist. In high school she nurtured an entrepreneurial spirit and took business classes. After seven years in the industry she put it all together and opened her own salon in Niwot called Ivy and Thistle. "I was driving through Niwot and stumbled across a salon that used to be 2nd Avenue [Hair Studio] and I just knew that's the space," Edge said. "Just loving Niwot...
In 1925, the National Speech and Debate Association (formerly the National Forensic League) was created to "provide recognition and support for students participating in speech and debate activities." Since then, students across the nation, and even the world, have participated in debates, given speeches and performed theatrical pieces. Like most aspects of life in the post-COVID world, speech and debate has been subject to safety and social distancing guidelines. Before COVID, competitions...
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is typically defined by its accelerated and demanding academic level. But as it touts itself as a "world school," part of the curriculum extends beyond the classroom and asks students to consider community, action and service (CAS) and create a project that brings these aspects together. IB juniors Sydney Rothstein and Mercer Stauch came together on their project, which has become the school's new student newspaper: The Green and Black. "We have a...
Thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there won't be many wrestlers hitting the mat for Niwot in 2021, but bigger isn't always better, according to longtime head coach Bobby Matthews. And what the Cougars lack in numbers, they more than make up for in experience, he said, which could mean a Niwot representative in the Class 4A state championships for the third straight year. "We're eight right now, so we're definitely down. But I think the eight that we have are solid for the most part,...
In April 2020, the St. Vrain Valley School Board authorized an architect design contract for an eight-lane swimming pool to be added onto Silver Creek High School. Nearly a year later, construction is set to begin in February and is expected to be completed in the fall. "People are excited about it," said Silver Creek Athletic Director Patrick DeCamillis. "I think it's a win for the community for sure, not just Silver Creek, but the St. Vrain community and Longmont in general." Up next on the ag...
Looking over the long list of Elizabeth Duncan's high school achievements, a few words leap to mind: varied, wide-ranging, unconventional, and, finally, impressive. From stints on the cheer and track teams, to honor choir and color guard, there's no question that the senior has trod a unique path through Niwot High, and shows every sign of continuing on it after graduation. Duncan's story originates about 25 miles east of Niwot, in Brighton, where the senior lives with her parents and younger si...
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic altered the landscape of local high school sports, the 2021 boys basketball season promised to be full of potential pitfalls for second-year coach Clayton Wittrock and the Niwot Cougars, as they adapt to a new league and a new starting lineup. But seeing his youthful team's resilience during the past 11 months of upheaval and social distancing has made Coach Wittrock hopeful that the Cougars will find a way to build on last season's momentum and roll with the...
This is the final entry in a three-part series on how the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on high school athletics have impacted college recruiting for the Class of 2021. Read part one here and part two here. One of the best ways for high school athletes to market themselves, particularly in baseball, is to attend showcase events. College coaches can watch potential recruits in action and assess the player competing against elite athletes, more than just through a highlight video. But with COVID, these events have suffered greatly. “(With) t...
Diners attribute the quality of their eating out experience to the people they interact with – the front of house workers. For 17 years, Leslie Middleton has been the most noticeable front of house person at Gunbarrel’s Café Blue American Grill while her chef husband Kevin runs the kitchen. These days, because of COVID, Leslie isn’t just taking orders and bringing out delicious drinks and food to diners at the restaurant, she’s also driving freshly prepared meals to patrons’ homes. She’s doin...
First-year Niwot girls swim head coach Kyle Bachrodt will have limited time to learn his new team members. Although their final schedule hasn't been decided, meets are permitted to begin as soon as Jan. 25, just one week after the start of practice. Luckily for Bachrodt, he leads a Niwot team that is well-versed in success. The Cougars are coming off back-to-back Northern Conference championships and the expectations remain high in 2021. Former head coach Sarah Stamp stepped down following last...
There were plenty of amazing moments for the Niwot Cougars during their historic win at the 2020 state tennis championships, but one not-so-amazing moment for senior Xavier Moy and his No. 2 doubles partner turned out to be a pivotal turning point for the Cougars and put the team title firmly in their grasp. "It was the craziest match I ever played in," Moy said of the state semi-final against Kent Denver, a team he and junior Alan Wilcox had fallen to just a few weeks before. "And it turned...
