This week’s senior spotlight focuses on one of the sweetest seniors in the class of 2020, Owen Rommel. Owen is always there for his friends and anyone else who may need a hand or someone to be there for them. He is very caring and compassionate, but he also never passes up an opportunity to joke with someone light-heartedly. In recent years, Owen has blossomed with the help of his friends who love him; he is more outspoken and outgoing than he was at the start of high school. We are so glad to have seen Owen prosper in this way and have no doubt that he will continue to learn and grow in the years to come at Appalachian State where he will begin this fall. 

In his free time, Owen likes to focus on his friends. Whether it be playing video games with the boys or just riding around town with a friend, he likes to be social and be involved with the people he cares about. Outside of school, he also spends a large portion of his time working at Benvenue Country Club as a cart boy where he washes carts and gets people their golf clubs. This work experience has done a lot to teach him a strong work ethic and great people skills. After work or a particularly long day, Owen likes to unwind by hanging out with his dad, cooking, and listening to music. Owen has discovered a love for grilling out and finds that it’s a great way to spend time with his dad and just chill out. 

Though he is a busy person outside of school, Owen makes sure to dedicate time to studying and homework so as to excel at school, especially in the subjects he cares about. Owen works very hard in all of his classes, among the most difficult being AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and AP Psychology, all of which he does and has done very well in. His favorite classes at RMA are AP Environmental Science with Dr. Wells and music with Mr. Leonard. During breaks at school, he can almost always be found in the senior room hanging out and making people laugh while we eat lunch or watch Victorious. One of his good friends, Caleb Chesis, said this of Owen: “Owen is a guy who is always there to make me laugh. He is a close friend who is always willing to play some Call of Duty at 11:30 at night when we have an English test the next morning. Gonna miss being able to do that next year but glad I was able to make so many memories with him at school over the last few years.” 

The best thing about Owen, aside from his compassion for others, is his sense of humor. Owen is constantly laughing and joking with everyone, and he is a great sport when people joke with him in return. He knows how to make difficult or stressful days easier by making light of situations that are sometimes hard to see the bright side of. You can always count on Owen to make you feel better no matter what mood you are in because, whether purposeful or not, he is a funny person. 

Owen can’t wait to take on Appalachian State in the fall and his classmates and I can’t wait to watch him do it and watch him succeed. Rocky Mount Academy will seriously miss Owen for his cheerful disposition and humor, and we wish him all the best in the years to come! 

1. What is your favorite RMA memory?

The days before breaks like Christmas where we can all hang out and don’t have classes are always fun, or just hanging out in the senior room with classmates.

2. Who is your greatest role model?

I don’t know if I’d call them role models, but Bruce Lee and Mark Twain had some good ideas along with a lot of others.

3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully happy and successful with whatever I’m doing.

4. What are you most looking forward to about college?

Living somewhere new and the freedom compared to high school.

5. What do you believe is your best character trait?

Listening to and understanding people.

6. Describe your dream vacation?

I’ve wanted to visit France for a while.

7. What is your favorite long lunch place?

I usually end up at McDonald’s but Sam’s is always good too.

8. What is your favorite hobby?

Working with my dad on our project car or watching terrible movies with my mom and dad.

9. Do you have any hidden talents? If so, what are they?

I’m alright at the drums but no other hidden talents necessarily.

10. What are you going to miss most about high school?

Definitely going to miss my friends most of all.