All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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This week's familiar face is Hannah Valadez, a paralegal at the Niwot law offices of Warren, Carlson, & Moore, LLP. You might know her as the friendly person who greets you whether you are there for legal services, a Left Hand Valley Courier matter, volunteer efforts, or youth sports sign-ups. Valadez first moved to Longmont from Michigan during her junior year of high school and ended up in the new Skyline High School's second graduating class. "I thought my parents were horrible at the time be...
Leah (Saraceni) Messinger's personal and professional journey practically defines the phrase full-circle. Now a counselor at Niwot High School, she graduated from the school herself in 2010 and has long been connected to the Niwot community. Messinger was raised in Boulder County and attended Niwot Elementary School and Sunset Middle School before attending Niwot High School. She reflected, "When I came to high school, it took me a little bit to find my footing socially, but the place that I...
Dr. Don Haddad, the highly respected and impactful superintendent of the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD), is embarking on a well-deserved retirement. He says he will not be completely stepping away, suggesting his invaluable experience and passion for education will continue to enrich the SVVSD as an emeritus superintendent. Emeritus status is an honorary title awarded to individuals, typically faculty or staff, who have retired from a specific position or organization, recognizing...
The St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) held its annual student art show at the Boulder County Fairgrounds from April 15 to April 20 with artwork featured from students attending Niwot Elementary School and Niwot High School. The district-wide student showcase included the mediums of ceramics, digital art/photography, drawing, jewelry making, metalwork, mixed media, painting, and printmaking. On Thursday evening, April 17, many students from the district's 55 schools, along with their art...
The Silver Creek district-wide boys swim and dive team, which includes Niwot High School swimmers, has shown both strength and resilience as the season hits its stride, with swimmers and divers competing in a new conference and continuing to improve in the pool. With several standout performances already under their belt, veteran coach Debbie Stewart’s team has balanced individual growth and team unity while adjusting to the heightened competition. Silver Creek and Longmont are the only boys swim and dive teams in the St. Vrain Valley School D...
Niwot High School senior Benjamin Gunn believes that music is the purest form of communicating a message to someone beyond symbols and knowledge. "For traditional visual arts," Gunn said, "you can show someone a picture and make them feel something through various symbols that they've probably encountered. But I feel music is so inspirational and important that you can convey a message without needing any previous knowledge. It is just raw emotion from the performer communicated through the...
Niwot High School senior Marcus Vock has been playing lacrosse since he was 11, when his mother signed him up "just to give it a try." Now, it is a big part of his life. He is a co-captain on Erie High School's St. Vrain Valley district team, along with Braylon Englehart, Luke Foley, and Cooper Riley. Vock was named second team all-conference last season. This year, he is looking to take things a step further. "I want to be nominated as All-Conference," Vock said. "And as a team, I want us to...
The St. Vrain Unframed Art Show is happening now until Sunday, April 20, at the Boulder County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall. The event showcases student artwork from all 55 schools in the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD), including creations from students attending Niwot Elementary School, Sunset Middle School and Niwot High School. The art show is open to the public daily, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event features student art from all grade levels...
The Denver Broncos Foundation is giving Niwot High School (NHS) football players a major equipment upgrade this year, at no cost to the school or families. As part of a groundbreaking initiative called "All In, All Covered," the Broncos Foundation is donating 15,516 top-of-the-line Riddell Axiom helmets to high school football programs across Colorado over the next four years. As of Tuesday, April 1, the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) schools will be participating in this $12 million...
This is a monthly feature summarizing the activities of the Boulder County Commissioners. The Niwot Business Association will be sending you a request for your signature on a letter addressed to the Commissioners. This letter urges the Commissioners to amend the minimum wage ordinance to match the $14.81 rate of neighboring municipalities. Currently, Niwot's minimum wage is $16.57 per hour, and scheduled to rise to $25 per hour by 2030. Data from the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory...
Behind every trusted face on television lies a story, and for longtime CBS Denver7 anchor Mitch Jelniker, that story begins in the hallways of Niwot High School. Though born in Oklahoma, Jelniker considers himself nearly a Colorado native, having moved to the state when he was just a few months old. His father, an aerospace engineer, moved the family several times during Jelniker's childhood - from Colorado Springs to Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington, before finally settling back in...
Keynes Chen, Niwot High School's orchestra and mariachi director, has been named Niwot High School's Teacher of the Year by the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation. His recognition comes as no surprise to those familiar with the remarkable growth and success of the school's music program under his leadership. Since starting at NHS in January 2019, Chen has built the school's orchestral music programs into something extraordinary. What began as a small program has grown into three...
The Left Hand Valley Courier is known for its coverage of athletes and arts students at Niwot High School. The Courier also honors an array of students who pursue activities such as community service, robotics, academics, and topics that fall under the S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) umbrella. Niwot High School senior Sanjana Kaushik is involved in a myriad of activities at Niwot High School. For example, she immerses herself in instrumental music, playing flute,...
Niwot High School lacrosse players traveled to San Marcos and Carlsbad California March 17 and 18 as members of the Mead High School lacrosse team, where they suffered losses against the more experienced San Marcos High School Knights (San Marcos, CA) and the La Costa Canyon High School Mavericks (Carlsbad, CA). The team fought hard, but fell short against the Knights and Mavericks losing by scores of 16-6 and 23-8 respectively. The Mead girls lacrosse team is composed of students from all over...
Mike Keffeler The Boulder County Commissioners appointed Niwot resident Mike Keffeler to the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) on March 11. Keffeler will become the Niwot Community Association (NCA) representative on the LID, taking over for Jeff Knight, who resigned due to a family move to Texas. Keffeler, who grew up in Niwot, has resided in the Morton Heights subdivision in Niwot for many years with his wife Kristin and 3 daughters.. He serves on the NCA board of...
Niwot High School senior Shefali Joshi thrives at the crossroads of creativity and innovation. One of her proudest high school achievements is pursuing an IB diploma. She said, "I'm really proud of how I stuck through the IB program even though it was hard at times. I really enjoyed the classes that were offered, even though there was a lot of extra work that goes into them." One such extra project is the Creativity, Art, and Service (CAS) project all IB diploma candidates are required to comple...
The defending 4A state champion Erie High School lacrosse team opened its season with a hard-fought 11-9 victory over Boulder High School on Thursday, March 6. The St. Vrain Valley School District team combined team, which pulls athletes from several nearby schools, saw key contributions from Niwot High School players. Senior Tyler Chivukula scored twice, while senior Marcus Vock added a goal and three assists. Sophomore Drake Chivukula finished with a goal and an assist. The Tigers are coming off their first-ever state title after winning the...
Katelin VonFeldt, a junior at Niwot High School, and Kayla Evans, a senior at Erie High School, were among 20 high school student teams nationwide selected to present at NASA's Human Research Program Investigators' Workshop, held on Jan. 28-31 in Galveston, Texas. This marked the first time high school students were invited to participate in the conference, which focuses on biomedical research related to human spaceflight. Von Feldt and Evans presented their innovations regarding the mental...
The Left Hand Valley Courier is featuring each of the nine Niwot High School students who signed National Letters of Intent on the Nov. 13 fall signing day to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. From soccer to track and field, these athletes represent a diverse array of sports and dreams fulfilled. Elizabeth "Izzy" Fay has made a big splash in Niwot High School athletics. The standout diver, who signed with California State University, Bakersfield, has made wave...
The St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) has once again achieved the highest graduation rate among large metro-area districts in Colorado, reaching an impressive 94.3% for the 2023-2024 school year. This milestone reflects the district's longstanding commitment to providing high-quality education and comprehensive support systems that keep students engaged and on track for graduation. Superintendent Don Haddad attributes this success to a combination of early childhood education, rigorous...
The St. Vrain Valley School District Honor Choir performance took place on Monday, Jan. 27, at Erie High School. The students practiced the full day before performing in the concert at 7 p.m. that night. "This is a special event every year where the top students from each of our district high schools are selected to come together to perform." Laura Walters, the Niwot High School Choir Director, said about the preparation for the performance. "The students auditioned in November. This year 63...
The Left Hand Valley Courier is known for its coverage of athletes and arts students at Niwot High School. The Courier also honors an array of students who pursue activities such as community service, robotics, academics, and topics that fall under the S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) umbrella. Niwot High School senior Sofia Burks has spent her four years at Niwot making a difference. Whether it be for her peers, locals, or those in need, she's striven to make an impa...
In the spring of 2008, a group of passionate parent leaders gathered with St. Vrain Valley School District administrators to address critical school funding challenges. From this pivotal moment, a transformative idea emerged—creating a program that would deeply engage community members in understanding the intricate workings of public education. This vision became https://www.svvsd.org/about/distr...
This year Katie Liddell was selected as one of two alto saxophone players to join the Colorado All-State Jazz Band, which will perform on Feb. 1 at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. Niwot High School Band director Wade Hendricks, who selected Liddell as Arts Student of the Week, said, "This is a massive achievement showing Katie's supreme dedication to her instrument and the study of jazz. The fact that she earned first chair means that she is, essentially, the State Champion of Jazz...
Use of cell phones in schools is a big topic across the nation. The St. Vrain Valley School District manages the issue by giving each of its schools autonomy in cell phone regulation.As a member of the SVVSD, Niwot High School has recently developed a school-wide expectation. Cell phone policies vary significantly among teachers, classrooms, schools, and school districts. For example, Boulder Valley School District announced a complete cell phone ban during school hours for all students last...
Shefali Joshi is peaking at the right time as she enters the final stretch of her Niwot High School girls swimming career. Following her four events at the St. Vrain Valley district meet on Jan. 18, the senior shared that it was the best she felt all season. Joshi dropped times in her individual races while helping the Cougars finish second behind Silver Creek High School in the team standings. "I think this is probably the best meet I've had this season, but I could probably do a little...
The Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools is home to an innovative Entrepreneurship Team that equips students with entrepreneurial skills and real-world experience. Through its student-led initiatives, the program, managed by Hannah McDonald, fosters creativity, problem-solving, and professional growth, preparing participants to tackle the challenges of the modern economy with confidence. The Entrepreneurship Team engages high school students in various dynamic projects that challenge...
Students at Niwot High School were suddenly summoned to the main gym at 9:13 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, but no one, save for school administrators and a few invited guests, knew what the occasion was. Pep band members received a cryptic message from Band Director Wade Hendricks the day before – "Emergency Pep Band during Cougar CORE!...[G]et your instrument quickly and head [to] the gym as soon as humanly possible." Drumline Instructor Scott Barto followed with a message the next morning at 9...
A team of high schoolers are working to elevate inclusion across the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). They are the members of the Accessibility Project Team of the SVVSD Innovation Center (IC). The IC houses 24 project teams, each offering learners career preparation, local involvement, and compensation. The Accessibility Team was launched in autumn of 2023. Longmont High School senior Anya Wieder started the group after observing that opportunity was often limited for her peers with di...
At the age of eight, Mai Vu, Program Manager for the St. Vrain Valley Schools Innovation Center's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Program, landed in Washington, D.C., from Vietnam. She recalled the stark contrast of arriving there in February, dressed in flip-flops and a dress, her first taste of the United States. Her father chose D.C. as it seemed like a safe haven from the looming threat of communism in Vietnam. Her educational journey included graduating from the University of Maryland and...
It was quite a year for the Niwot High School boys cross country team. Winning a state title in Class 5A, Niwot's first experience in the highest state classification, with a dominant team effort began the run of honors for Coach Kelly Christensen's runners. That was followed by a second-place team finish at the Nike Cross Regionals in Arizona, which also qualified the team to run at the Nike Cross Nationals. The Cougars surprised quite a few people at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland,...
The Left Hand Valley Courier is featuring each of the nine Niwot High School students who signed National Letters of Intent on the Nov. 13 fall signing day to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. From soccer to track and field, these athletes represent a diverse array of sports and dreams fulfilled. Lucy Connors From her first lacrosse game as a third-grader to committing to play for Bucknell University, Lucy Connors' journey has been marked by hard work,...
Arts Student of the Week Parker Jean Tatic clearly recalls being inspired by the actress Florence Pugh the day she saw Pugh perform Amy in Greta Gerwig's version of "Little Women." "I thought it was really interesting," Tatic said, "how she was portraying Amy. Because in the original movie and the book Amy is a little girl, and even in the musical. But in her version, Pugh played both young Amy and adult Amy. And for some strange reason it stood out to me how she was portraying a younger child,...
The Niwot Community Association (NCA) held its final board meeting of 2024 on Wednesday, Dec. 11. The board reviewed not only updates since the previous meeting in November, but also reflected on their objectives from the past year and welcomed special guest speakers from the Boulder County Sheriff's Office (BCSO). Molly McDonald, program manager of the BCSO Co-Responder Team, along with team members Ashley Partin and Sarah Windholz, spoke to the NCA Board about the services the Team provides....
Janet Gates' wide range of volunteer efforts benefiting the Niwot, Gunbarrel, and surrounding communities have earned her the December Left Hand Laurel. Gates grew up in Gunbarrel, graduated from Niwot High School in 1984, moved out of state, then returned 13 years ago as a single mother with two small children. Immediately in need of a path to support herself and her family, her father suggested that she might start by cleaning people's homes. That led her to start her current business,...
The second in a three-part series on artificial intelligence (AI) and local school systems. Recently, the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) at the University of Colorado referenced a March 5, 2024, policy brief titled "Time for a Pause: Without Effective Public Oversight, AI in Schools Will Do More Harm than Good." The policy brief states that as existing school-focused platforms and applications are updated to include artificial intelligence (AI), the immediate danger facing educators is...
St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) superintendent Don Haddad and several staff members met with approximately 15 Niwot residents, primarily from the Morton Heights subdivision, to present the district's plans for completing a stadium for use by football, soccer, track and other activities at Niwot High School (NHS). The district added lights to the existing football field a few years ago, and also installed artificial turf to replace the sod field, with the goal of creating a full stadium...
Playing alongside No. 4 doubles partner Tyler Chivukula, Oliver "Ollie" Jones enjoyed an impressive final season on the Niwot High School varsity boys tennis team. The two seniors rolled through the regular season, defeating duos from Monarch, Broomfield, Boulder, and Cheyenne Mountain high schools, among others. They then qualified for the Class 4A state individual tournament and nearly advanced to the No. 4 doubles championship match. "We lost in the semis, which was unfortunate, but we...
Prairie Dog Management The annual Prairie Dog Management Public Meeting will be held on Dec. 5, at 5:00 p.m. in the Ron Stewart Parks and Open Space Building, 5201 St. Vrain Road in Longmont. The County Parks and Open Space Department will share how it manages the prairie dog population in open spaces that include agricultural land, including actions taken in 2024. The public is invited to attend and to share comments. This venue is in-person, only. For more information, visit the Parks and...
In a stunning display of technological prowess, the Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools illuminated the night sky on Thursday, Nov. 21 with a mesmerizing drone show featuring 300 synchronized aerial performers. Under the guidance of Drone Performance Team Coordinator Danny Hernandez, students demonstrated their mastery of this cutting-edge technology. Hernandez, now in his second year at the Innovation Center, brings 28 years of experience with the St. Vrain Valley School District...
The arts community is going strong in the St. Vrain Valley School District. With art shows, concerts, and marching band exhibitions, students are presented with an almost endless number of activities in which to participate throughout the year. Color guard is one of them. Anthony Pierro was brought onto the team at Niwot High School this year as the "Pride of Niwot" Cougar Marching Band's new color guard instructor. Color guard is not new to Niwot as it has been a staple of the ensemble for...
Three pioneering figures in St. Vrain Valley School District's Innovation Center cybersecurity education program have been awarded the prestigious Superintendent's Excellence in Education Award. Beth Cerrone, Kaylee Crouthamel, and Sienna Arellano were recognized for their outstanding contributions to cybersecurity education and community outreach. The Superintendent's Excellence in Education Award recognizes exceptional contributions to the St. Vrain Valley School District. The recognition...
At the end of each semester many Niwot High School clubs and activities celebrate and recognize their achievements by holding formal banquet events for their members. The "Pride of Niwot" Cougar Marching Band held its fall banquet on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Students were fed a catered spaghetti dinner and, of course, a delicious cake was decorated to the theme of their halftime show, "Night at the Movies." The evening also included a poignant reflection of the semester's events for the whole band....
The Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools is home to a pioneering Aeronautics Program to prepare students for a career in Aviation Engineering and Flight. Three project teams offer high school students rewarding opportunities to expand their skill sets and explore advanced technologies in the area. The Aero, Aeronautical Engineering, and Drone Performance teams, each focus on a specific element of the expansive aeronautics field. High schoolers in the programs are compensated by the...
The Niwot Community Association’s board of directors held its monthly meeting on Nov. 13 at the newly named Niwot Hall. The agenda consisted of a financial report update from the NCA Treasurer, Terry Larsen, the President’s report from David Limbach, and area reports from the area representatives. The directors then addressed the 2024 goals, which were to monitor land use, incorporate a wildfire protection plan, and create and engage on social media platforms. The NCA also hosted Jim Dor...
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, Niwot High School honored nine standout athletes during its Fall Signing Day ceremony. Held in the Commons during lunch, the event celebrated those Cougars committing to continue their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level. Surrounded by teammates, coaches, family, and friends, the athletes celebrated their accomplishments and looked ahead to the exciting next chapter of their lives. Kianna Butler signed with Metropolitan State University of Denver to play...
Democrats maintained their strong presence in Boulder County as voters made decisions on numerous races and ballot measures in the Nov. 5, 2024, election. From federal representation to local water district measures, residents weighed in on a wide array of candidates and issues. Federal and State Representation Democrat Joe Neguse secured another term as the U.S. Representative for the 2nd Congressional District. At the state level, Kathy Gebhardt won the race for State Board of Education...
The first in a three-part series on artificial intelligence (AI) and local school systems. In March 2024, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was held up as a trailblazer for its embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) when it unveiled a custom-designed chatbot called Ed for the students. The intent was for Ed to be a personalized assistant who would personalize academic plans. LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho called the tool a “game changer” that would “accelerate learn...
The Niwot Cougars concluded their season winless, ending with an 0-9 record after their final game against the Mead High School Mavericks was canceled by the St. Vrain Valley School District due to weather....
Boulder Open Space and Parks Management (OSPM) announced that two local trails will be closed. A news release regarding the Heatherwood Trail connection to Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat states: "A portion of the Heatherwood Trail at Walden Ponds will be closed for about one month beginning Monday, Nov. 4, for a City of Boulder sewer line project. Visitors will not be able to connect between Heatherwood Trail and the trails at Walden Ponds. #boco_trails" Please see the accompanying map of the...
