Durham School of the Arts Principal Dr. Lorna Tobias says Evan Byers is the courteous voice of DSA. Known as reliable, intelligent, and positive, he doles out DSA information for peers and staff like a professional as the school announcer every morning.
“He represents DSA well,” Tobias said. His chorus teacher also said that Evan brings joy to the classroom. “As a scholar, Evan brings a joyfulness to learning that makes class fun and engaging,” Jeremy Nabors said.
Evan acknowledges those who have seen his efforts and who positively influence him. He names Nabors, who has been his chorus teacher for six years, as his mentor.
“Mr Nabors has made a humongous impact on my life,” Evan said.
Nabors’ advocacy and tutelage have opened doors for Evan to join a local men’s choir and earn select seats on four North Carolina Honors Choirs in middle and high school.
“He has created a forgiving and caring classroom environment and has taught me the importance of the arts being infused with academics. He has led me to become involved with the theater troupe at my school as the head light designer by almost forcing me to audition for the school musical my sophomore year. That led to two Critics’ Choice awards at state competition.”
Evan says he’s motivated to be “the best that I can be. Whether that be being a good person to others and following the golden rule or continuing to push myself in school. Nothing comes easy, especially if you don’t push yourself to work for it,” he said. “Having the motivation to do that has allowed me to be a leader for other students at DSA and help them through any tough times that they are having. It is important to me to be the best that I can be because that influences others to be the best that they can be.”
He's aiming even higher as he makes his way toward graduation. He plans to attend the International Thespian Festival in Bloomington, Indiana this summer, and compete for light and marketing design awards.
The musically inclined scholar has already won numerous artistic awards in theater and chorus and includes time in his busy schedule to run the sound board when needed afterschool and for other productions.
“As a member of both the Chorus and Theatre pathways at Durham School of the Arts, Evan has been finding ways to lead since he started high school,” Nabors said. “Evan is an active member of the Chorus Council, this year serving as the president. He is a positive member of the chorus team and is always looking for ways to get people more engaged.”
Evan also serves as a member of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, contributing to the betterment of the educational experience for himself and his peers. He’s a steady presence committed to achievement but enjoys his free time too, especially near the water.
Evan attended the North Carolina Governor's School in the summer of 2023 for choral music.
“It was an enriching experience that allowed me to find a whole new dynamic to learning,” he said.
“Outside of school work, I enjoy light design for theater and dance productions. I enjoy singing in numerous choirs, and I am involved with the Greek Orthodox Youth of America at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Raleigh. I enjoy having a good time with friends, watching sports, and sitting by the water, whether that be a river, a lake, or the ocean,” he said.
Evan says his “biggest success” will be graduating Summa Cum Laude and in the top 10 percent of his class. While proud of his successes, he believes that there is still more work to do and says his biggest challenge has been trying to help rebuild programs that were affected by the pandemic. In the meantime, he will matriculate to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill to major in Political Science. He aspires to become a corporate lawyer in a large city or an attorney for a sports team.
