▁born ▁in ▁Mc All en , ▁Texas ▁to ▁Lee ▁Del avan ▁and ▁Florence ▁( Sur v illo ) ▁R owe . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Mc All en ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁Mc All en ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁before ▁leaving ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Military ▁Academy ▁at ▁West ▁Point , ▁New ▁York . ▁R owe ▁graduated ▁from ▁West ▁Point ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁officer ▁and ▁later ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁thirty - four ▁American ▁prisoners ▁of ▁war ▁to ▁escape ▁capt ivity ▁during ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War . ▁ ▁Nik ki ▁R owe ▁High ▁School ▁was ▁the ▁new est ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁Mc All en ▁Independent ▁School ▁District . ▁Nik ki ▁R owe ▁High ▁School ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁as ▁a ▁nin th ▁grade ▁center , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁became ▁a ▁class ▁ 5 A ▁high ▁school . ▁R owe ▁High ▁School ▁courses ▁include : ▁Advanced ▁P lacement , ▁Hon ors ▁C ourses , ▁College ▁Pre par atory ▁C ourses , ▁and ▁regular ▁level ▁courses . ▁Nik ki ▁R owe ▁High ▁School ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁in ▁Mc All en ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁A CE ▁program — A ▁Ch ance ▁to ▁Excel . ▁R owe ▁also ▁offers ▁the ▁Qu est ▁program — a ▁search ▁for ▁success , ▁and ▁Project ▁St ay ▁in ▁School . ▁In , ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Nik ki ▁R owe ▁High ▁School ▁was ▁officially ▁recognized ▁by ▁Texas ▁Education ▁Agency , ▁for ▁sur