At Bear River High School, junior Keira Gwin has become known for her drive, leadership, and dedication to both academics and the arts. Between managing college courses, leading the color guard, and performing in multiple music programs, she’s learned to juggle a schedule that would make most students’ heads spin, and she does it all with a smile.
“I’m part of the drama group, I was in it last year and I’m in it again this year,” Gwin said. “I’m also in jazz choir; I’ve been in it since it first started.”
“She’s also super involved with Jazz Ensemble, which started last year during second semester,” Bear River music teacher Ashley Petrie added. “She joined with a ton of excitement and has grown so much as a vocalist through that class.”
Her passion for music doesn’t stop there. As a member of Music Lab, she enjoys playing guitar and singing, while also serving as the jazz choir representative on the school’s Music Council. Outside of music, she keeps busy with several service clubs — CSF, Key Club, and Leo Club, all while leading as color guard captain.
Beyond her extracurriculars, Gwin challenges herself academically as a dual enrollment student, taking college classes through Sierra College since her freshman year. “By the end of this semester, I’ll have taken eight college classes,” she explained. “It’s definitely a struggle, but I honestly kind of enjoy being busy. It’s fun, just a little hard to manage sometimes.”
Despite her packed schedule, Gwin says Bear River has been a supportive environment that pushes her to succeed. “I think the Bear River community is a really awesome place,” she said. “I honestly really love the school, I like coming to school… most days. It’s a really positive community with a lot of great people who are always pushing you to be your best. I love the teachers here.”
That support extends beyond teachers. Gwin credits her close circle of friends for helping her stay grounded through it all. “My friends really push me to be my best,” she said. “They’re always supporting me, and I know I can count on them. It’s nice having a strong, stable friend group in high school, especially with how busy I am.”
Payton Garten, a junior at Bear River adds, “She’s just one of the most amazing people I know.” she said. “Keira has such a great personality and really cares about her friends. She’s always there for people.”
Looking ahead, Gwin has big plans for her future. “I’d like to go into forensic science and attend a four-year college,” she said. “My goal is to get a degree in a hard science and then get a master’s in forensic science, that’s kind of the plan for now.”
But even with her academic ambitions, she’s not leaving music behind. “I also want to keep pursuing music after high school,” Gwin added. “I’ll probably take some music classes, because I don’t want to lose that part of myself.”
“Keira is just an awesome person.” Junior Trinity Jacquier said. “She tries really hard for her family and her future. She's very goal-oriented, and I think that's awesome."
Whether she’s performing on stage, leading her team on the field, or studying late into the night, Keira Gwin embodies the spirit of hard work and creativity that defines Bear River’s student community.
