Spotlight on: Roselyn Nietes
March 2026 Senior Student of the Month
The Student Council decides monthly student and teacher awards with a specific category each month. The category for March 2026 was “outstanding performance in the musical” for students and “master of their craft” for teachers.
The Senior Student of the Month awards go to two seniors per month who are nominated and voted on by Student Council members in grades 9-11.
The High School Teacher of the Month award goes to one teacher per month who is nominated and voted on by Student Council members in grades 9-12. All Teachers of the Month become eligible to become Teacher of the Year in June.
The March 2026 Senior Students of the Month are Russel Stapf and Roselyn Nietes, and the March 2026 High School Teacher of the Month is Heather McCutcheon, who teaches fine and media arts for grades 8-12.
Below is a Q&A with Roselyn Nietes:
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Q. What was your role in the musical (on stage or behind the scenes)?
A. Rose Alvarez.
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Q. What made being part of the musical meaningful or memorable for you?
A. The best part about the musical was being able to look forward to hanging out with the entire cast at rehearsal after school. This was where I was able to grow new bonds with people who I didn’t normally talk to!
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Q. What’s one skill or lesson you’re taking away from this experience?
A. As cheesy as it is, being in musicals has taught me that there will always be someone in your corner whenever you feel doubtful.
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Q. Can you describe a standout moment – either during rehearsals or a live performance – that you’ll never forget?
A. Closing night is always the saddest. But with it being my senior year, it was profoundly bittersweet to look around and take in seeing all of my castmates whom I’d never share a stage with again. The moment the curtains closed for the last time, my heart swelled with how proud I was of all of my friends and underclassmen <3.
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Q. If you could step into any role from any musical production, which would you choose and what draws you to it?
A. Matilda has to take the cake for this one. When we did our production of “Matilda” in 2022, I recall having an absolute blast 24/7 because of how fun the choreo and songs were, so I imagine it would be even more fun to be the lead girl!
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Q. Was there someone in the cast or crew who pushed or motivated you? How did they impact your experience?
A. Over the course of my high school career, I was able to build my way up from ensemble to a lead thanks to the amount of support that I had received from my loved ones. Teacher Heuser was always there to crack a joke and guide me through any doubts that I had. Baker’s contagious uplifting personality helped me push through. And watching my circle of friends succeed was all it took to motivate me to improve! These are people that I will treasure forever because of the impact that they’ve had on me.
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Q. What would you say to someone who’s on the fence about joining the musical next year?
A. What do you have to lose? I think it’s totally worth it to take that chance and step outside of your comfort zone if it means potentially opening a door to something that you can find joy in.
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Q. Is there a song or number from the show that’s still stuck in your head? Why that one?
A. There’s a specific part in “A Healthy Normal American Boy” where Rosie and Albert’s parts layer over one another, and it scratches my brain just right. I loved it so much that I sang it for every mic check!
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