story by Ruth Nicolaus
[ “Streaker is “like a big puppy dog,” Morgan said. “She’s very sweet and always wants attention.” Prada is a different story. She’s “your typical mare. Very sassy.”]
Morgan Rosander loves to run.
Whether it’s for fun, relaxation, or just time to think, she can often be found on the gravel roads around her Wolbach, Neb. home, or on the treadmill, during the winter, with her earbuds in, listening to old country and 80s rock, while the endorphins course through her veins. She averages twenty miles a week.
She also loves rodeo.
As a Nebraska High School Rodeo Association member, she competes in the barrel racing and pole bending.
For the barrels, the seventeen-year-old cowgirl rides a mare named Prada. For the poles, she rides a strawberry roan mare named Streaker. Both are ten years old, both are short, and both are mares, but their personalities are different. Streaker is “like a big puppy dog,” Morgan said. “She’s very sweet and always wants attention.” Prada is a different story. She’s “your typical mare. Very sassy.”
A senior at Central Valley High School in Greeley, the best part of school for Morgan is seeing her friends and two of her classes: government and English. She loves government class, and American history, as well, because “it just makes sense to me, and I find it interesting to learn about things that have happened.”
Morgan nearly always has a book on hand that she’s reading: she loves to read and isn’t intimidated by writing, which makes her confident in her English classes. She reads a lot of different genres, including mysteries, historical fictions, and dystopian books. One of her favorite books is “The Red Queen.” The worst part of school is college algebra, which has been tough.
She participates in cross country, track, and is a cheerleader. She was a member of the One Act cast as well, and is playing the part of Jasmine in the school’s musical, “Aladdin,” this spring. For track, she usually runs the 800m and the mile, but this year might add the 4×8 relay and the two mile.
She is a member of the National Honor Society, FFA, and last year, was part of FCA. She is on the school’s honor roll.
Morgan’s favorite holiday is Christmas, because she gets to see family she doesn’t normally see. The best meal her mom makes is lasagna, and her favorite beverage is apple juice. She loves vanilla ice cream, and the most fun she’s had on trips is the family’s annual vacation to the Black Hills, where they like to visit Rush Mountain Adventure Park. There’s plenty of things to do there for everyone: a cave, a roller coaster, obstacle course, mining and more.
Her favorite teachers are Mrs. Reynolds, her speech teacher, and Miss Vlach, her American history and government teacher. Mrs. Reynolds is special because “she’s just the most bubbly lady you’ll ever meet. She’s hilarious, and very understanding.” Being in speech class and One Acts has helped Morgan overcome her fear of public speaking. “It was something I definitely struggled with, at first. But now I don’t get that nervous anymore.”
Miss Vlach is her current government teacher, and Morgan likes the way she explains things. “It’s crazy to me how informed she is about stuff going on today. We always have a conversation about it. I’d like to be informed like that.”
If she were given $1 million, Morgan would save some for college and build an indoor arena. Anything left over, she’d save for a house.
This fall, she will attend Chadron (Neb.) State College. She hopes to go into optometry and become an eye doctor. After she earns her bachelor’s degree, she’ll attend optometry school. At this point, she’s unsure of whether she’ll college rodeo or not.
For fun, she likes to hunt deer and Canada geese.
Her mom and dad, Brandie and Michael, love their daughter. Morgan “is a very sweet girl, very helpful,” her mom said. “She’s very helpful around the house, and if I need her siblings taken somewhere, she’ll drive them.”
Morgan has competed at the Nebraska State High School Finals her sophomore and junior years in both events.
She’s currently ranked in the top 15 in both the barrels and the poles.
She has a younger brother, Wyatt, who is an eighth grade student, and two sisters: Taylor, grade six, and Lauryn, grade four.
