Arts Student of the Week: Gabby Gravelle

As the school year comes to a close, many seniors are beginning to reflect on their lives over the past few years as they begin a new journey. For some students, the arts have been a large part of their past.

"Art is a very important part of my life and I am a part of a lot of different groups in the school," said Gabby Gravelle, a senior at Niwot High School. "I am a part of the Niwot theater program and the musical has been the highlight of each school year for me since freshman year."

Gravelle has participated in Niwot High's productions of "Mamma Mia," "Beauty and the Beast," "Shrek," and, most recently, "Footloose," as the understudy for Ariel Moore.

In addition to theater, Gravelle joined the Niwot High School Choir for the first time this year and has loved being a part of it. She was also in the Niwot High Orchestra her freshman, sophomore, and junior years playing violin.

"Music is very important to me. In my free time I try to teach myself songs on piano, guitar, or ukulele, and I love to try and play any instrument that I can find," said Gravelle. "Throughout high school I have also taken many different art classes, my favorite of which was ceramics. I love to do different art projects such as painting or sewing in my free time."

Next year, Gravelle will be attending Baylor University majoring in elementary education. However, she plans to continue with her hobbies and hopes to take art classes while there.

Gravelle has strived to be a role model for her fellow students, like others before her in the programs. She said, "I looked up to a lot of the upperclassmen when I was a freshman and sophomore. I think being able to see their hard work and the joy that theater and the other art and music programs brought them really inspired me."

She continued, "I would tell anyone who wants to be involved in the arts to just start and to not worry about whether they're good at it or not, because even if you don't get a lead or aren't first chair, if it brings joy to your life, it's worth doing."