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Teen of the Week: Ravenswood’s Alex Nichols steals the show

By James Dobbs 4 min read

RAVENSWOOD -- Ravenswood teen Alex Nichols has been a part of his school's show choir, Rave Revue, since he was a freshman.

"I decided to participate in this (show choir), because I have been singing all my life, and wanted to try something new and exciting," he said.

Nichols said show choir is a competitive choir that puts on several shows throughout the year. The group hosts its annual dinner theater every year in the first weekend of February, which begins the competition season.

Nichols said Rave Revue has taken many awards over the last few years, including two grand champion awards in 2020. He received the Best Performer Award in his junior year.

Nichols is the dance captain of Rave Revue and helps plan schedules and check student attendance at practices.

"I take my position very seriously, not only do I sometimes help my fellow captains choreograph certain numbers for our fall and spring concerts and dinner theater, I also like to think of myself as a mentor to the underclassmen," he said. "I strive to make sure they know that not only can they come to me with questions about our current choreography, but also they can come to me with every day problems that they need help with."

Nichols has a 3.6 GPA at Ravenswood High School. His favorite subject is English because he enjoys telling stories. He said his English teacher has made him love writing even more.

"I very much enjoy writing and telling stories," he said. "My current English teacher, Mr. Mark Anderson, has been one of the best I have ever had."

Nichols has committed himself to attending West Virginia University after graduation.

"Once I visited the campus in September of 2022, I absolutely fell in love," he said. "WVU feels like home to me, and that is what I want from my university experience."

Nichols is interested in majoring in advertising and public relations.

"I think this will lead to a good career path, because I enjoy the aspects of the jobs that come with the major," he said. "I love to see what different brands are doing, and I want to know what it takes to engage a group of people in something they are passionate about."

After college, Nichols wants to stay in Morgantown and live there for awhile. He said he prefers living in a larger community than a smaller one.

In his spare time, Nichols volunteers at his school, and alongside the Patriot Guard. Twice a month, he travels to Henry J. Kaiser Elementary with a group of other students to participate in the Bigs and Littles program. While there he gets to spend time with his little, as a role model.

"I love learning about the younger generation, and I love knowing that my little has someone he can look up to and learn from," he said. "Giving back to my community makes me feel prideful for where I'm at."

Over the summer, Nichols helped organize a prayer vigil for a former student of both Ravenswood and Ripley High who passed away.

Nichols also volunteers with the Patriot Guard Riders, a non-profit organization that attends funeral services of fallen military veterans, first responders and veterans who have been honorably discharged, as invited guests of the family. Nichols participates with his mother, Linda Nichols, who is a ride captain for this region of the state.

When he isn't volunteering, Nichols enjoys watching other show choirs to get a leg up on the competition. He also likes spending time with friends, reading and listening to music.

James Dobbs can be reached at jdobbs@newsandsentinel.com

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