Rowan Harper has lived in and gone to school in Nederland since elementary school. He first attended Nederland Elementary School during his kindergarten year, growing up with the same people for over a decade as he transitioned into Nederland Middle-Senior High School (NMSHS). From elementary school, he fondly remembers building dream houses and showing them off to the community, along with attending the circus and track and field events.

Some of his most fond memories revolve around creative pursuits. He has participated in theater at NMSHS since sixth grade, during which he has directed multiple school plays and acted in plays and musicals such as Radium Girls, Chicago, The Addams Family, Mirrors, and Guys and Dolls. He loves the community that has formed with theater, and he loves that he has been able to make friends with so many different people.

He has also been performing in choir and band since 6th grade, deciding to join the orchestra in his senior year. He has always had an interest in performing music, and being able to do so with close friends has been a highlight of his time at NMSHS. He continues to bond with people in his community now by working at the restaurant Salto in the heart of town.

However, possibly the interest that is closest to his heart is filmmaking. From a young age, he was inspired to make short films with his close friends, creating shorts with silly premises that just allowed him and his friends to have fun before starting to focus on more serious premises. His short films have consistently received Excellent ratings at the Colorado Thespian Conferences, and his passion for filmmaking is strong enough that he wants to pursue it in college.

After searching for the right college for him throughout 2021, he ultimately decided to land at the University of Colorado Denver to study film and television production. He loves the city of Denver and is incredibly excited to move there, but also feels that the combination of programs available suits him perfectly.

Despite this, he will miss being able to see his friends from Nederland on a daily basis, as he has formed a meaningful bond with many of them over the years. Rowan will fondly remember staff members such as Kelly Strong and Elizabeth Evans, and he recommends to other students to appreciate their time at Ned and participate in whatever extracurricular activity they can. As Rowan can prove, you might just find your lifelong interests and friends in the things you decide to do outside of school.

Congratulations on your journey to college, Rowan!