Arts Student of the Week - Najla Onofre Valles

"Ever since I was in elementary school," Najla Onofre Valles admits, "I've been wanting to use a guitar and learn how to play it. I just thought it would be something really fun to do." Valles, who was selected by NHS' Orchestra Director Keynes Chen as Arts Student of the Week, developed an interest in mariachi while she was still a student at Sunset Middle School. When the school started a mariachi class, Valles immediately signed up. "I thought it would be cool to be in a mariachi class," she said.

Valles' mariachi class teacher at Sunset Middle School recommended that Niwot High School add her into the new mariachi class planned for the next school year, and Valles was accepted.

But when that school year started, things changed in light of the Covid pandemic. "Everything was difficult to learn through a screen," Valles said, "but with Mr. Chen's help and him always smiling, I had it a lot easier than I thought I would."

As a junior at Niwot High School, Valles has worked hard with Mr. Chen to learn more about music and the guitar. She acknowledges that he is her favorite composer. "Without him I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to be an Arts Student of the Week," Valles said. "I really do think he has a special place in my life."

Because her father is a DJ, Valles has always had music in her life and she describes it as "a happy place where I can go." Having an opportunity to be in the NHS Mariachi Ensemble has helped her appreciate music even more. "There's nobody in my family that knows how to play the guitar or anything like that," Valles said. "But I've always loved listening to Selena Quintanilla, a singer who has used music to make people happy. And I wanted to do the same as her."

Valles is one of the founding members of the NHS Mariachi Ensemble and a dancer with the ensemble. When Mr. Chen decided to add dancers to perform for the NHS concerts, Valles consulted with her parents. "My mom is also a dancer," Valles said, "So she had helped with being one of the people to dance with me. And my dad was the choreographer for the dancing so none of my dancing for my school would have been possible without my parents and Mr. Chen." Having friends and family at concerts makes every moment memorable, Valles said.

Valles is still considering her plans for the future and a potential career, but says she will hopefully keep in touch with the students in her mariachi class and continue to perform with them. She has an interest in medicine. "I would really love to be a clinic nurse when I'm old enough to get that as a job," she said.