One of Nayland’s new student leaders, Stuart Lowe, has been a leader in the Nayland drama community for much longer. An actor in school productions for all of his schooling years, Lowe says that he “loves everything” about drama.

Since Year 9 Stuart says he’s been pursuing opportunities to help out at Nayland in any way he can, starting with house captain in his first year. In fact, that’s why he applied for the job of student leader. “I wanted to become more of a role model in the school,” he said.

As a well-rounded student leader, Stuart enjoys PE, which he says has “never a boring moment.” However, it is in drama that he really excels. He played an important role in last year’s production of Bye Bye Birdie which, he says, was one of his greatest experiences at Nayland, along with getting the news of student leader.

Even though drama is his passion, and he has one of the school’s most prestigious drama awards under his belt, Stuart is most looking forward to a different sort of project. He hopes to help out with the school cafe which is being built this year in place of the school’s canteen and which will be run by hospitality students.

After graduating, Stuart wants to expand his acting prospects, starting with an audition at prestigious Wellington acting school Toi Whakaari. He would like to stay in their halls and build the rest of his life from there.