CF Boleky Scholarship

My best friend is Nick Shepard. We met while working on a Congressional campaign all the way back in 2006. He was the Field Director, and I served as Deputy Communications Director and bodyman to the candidate with the comical name of Charlie Brown. Campaign life can be intense, and the long days & constant pressure tend to bring out both the best and the worst in people. But from the very beginning, Nick and I clicked. We had the same work ethic, the same weird (and sometimes dark) sense of humor, and the same belief in responsibility to the mission at hand. We were often the first people to open the office in the morning and the last ones to lock up at night. In that kind of environment, bonds are formed quickly, and ours only grew stronger as the campaign went on. After the race ended, we both got hired on to the same presidential campaign in New Hampshire. Even though we were assigned to opposite ends of the state, we stayed in constant contact. We talked through staffing issues, joked about the chaos of field life, and kept each other sane during one of the wildest campaign seasons of our lives. When our candidate won the New Hampshire primary, Nick and I drove cross-country together from Manchester, NH back to Sacramento, CA. That road trip was filled with bad food, great music, hours of conversation, and the kind of unfiltered honesty that only happens between best friends. It solidified everything I already knew about our friendship. Since that time, our lives have taken very different paths. Nick stepped away from political life and went to law school. I stayed in the world of public affairs and continued working in advocacy and legislative operations. But through every chapter, we’ve stayed close. I encouraged him to go on his first date with the woman who would later become his wife. I was honored to stand beside him as his best man. He returned the favor by helping me through one of the lowest points in my life when I was struggling with doubt, fear, and uncertainty about my future. We have seen each other at our best and at our worst, and that has only made our friendship stronger. Nick is the kind of friend who never forgets to show up. He listens without judgment, tells the truth even when it is hard to hear, and has always believed in me even when I did not believe in myself. We still talk nearly every day. Whether it is a quick check-in or a long conversation about life, politics, or the absurdity of the world, we always find time for each other. What makes Nick special is not just that he's a good friend. He's a good person in the way that matters most. He is thoughtful, loyal, and deeply committed to doing the right thing. He's the friend who will stand by you when things fall apart and celebrate you when things go right. He has been one of the most constant and supportive people in my life, and I know I would not be the person I am today without him. Everyone deserves a friend like Nick, and I am lucky to have him in my life. This friendship has given me a sense of stability, confidence, and belonging that has carried me through more than one rough season. He is not just my best friend. He is my chosen family, and I am proud to call him my brother.

My best friend is Bryce, and our relationship has been one of the most important parts of my life. Bryce is not just my best friend but also the person who has supported me, encouraged me, and helped me grow into the person I am today. Our friendship has been filled with defining moments, both big and small, that continue to remind me how lucky I am to have someone like him by my side. One of the first things that stood out about Bryce is how he makes me feel understood. I can tell him anything, and he never judges me. When I am overwhelmed with school or work, he is the first person I turn to. Bryce listens when I need to talk, but he also knows how to make me laugh when I need a break from the stress of being a full-time student and working full time. He has become the person who balances out my life and helps me stay grounded when things feel too heavy. A defining moment in our relationship came during a time when I felt like I was carrying too much. I was struggling with the pressure of paying for my own tuition while keeping up with all of my classes. There was one night when I called Bryce because I felt like giving up. He reminded me of how far I had already come and that my hard work would pay off in the future. His words helped me find the motivation to keep going. That night showed me the kind of friend Bryce is, someone who believes in me even when I feel like I cannot believe in myself. Our relationship is also built on all the small moments that make life better. We have spent hours just talking, going for walks, and laughing about things only we would understand. Some of my favorite memories are not about doing anything big but simply being around each other. Whether it is going out for food, watching shows, or just spending time together, Bryce makes ordinary days feel meaningful. Another defining moment in our friendship was when I lost my mother at a young age. That loss shaped my life in many ways, and even though Bryce was not there at the time, he has always been someone who understands the weight I carry from that experience. He never tries to minimize my feelings and instead supports me with patience and care. Knowing that I have someone who accepts every part of my story makes our bond even stronger. This friendship is so important to me because it has taught me about love, loyalty, and true support. Bryce has shown me that real friendship means standing by each other through good times and hard times. He has been my biggest encourager and the person I can always count on. Our relationship has not only given me strength in the present but also hope for the future. To me, Bryce is more than a best friend. He is someone who has helped me grow, who makes me better, and who reminds me that I am never alone. Our defining moments, our shared memories, and the strength of our bond make this friendship one of the most valuable parts of my life.

This hit home with me. I’d love to tell you guys about my best friend and cousin Angelo Bowers. He was the person I looked up to from a very young age, he was the comedian of the family which inspired me to want to make people laugh. He had an amazing heart, he was the light of my life. He was a few years older than me so he treated me like a younger sister most of the time, we were like siblings, best friends and cousins all in one ! What a special time it was. We grew up in a catholic family and when we would go to church we would try to sit as far away from our great grandma as we could because we knew we’d be laughing the whole time ! Making stick figures with our fingers and making them run on the pew and crash into each other. He would make silly faces and we would giggle if the priest would miss a note during his song. ( so terrible I know, I’ve apologized a million times, haha). We also used to go to Disneyland and we would be standing in line for rides and he would tell me “we’re all gonna die” while making funny faces which would in turn freak my 6 year old self out.. and I’d cry and embarrass my mom. One time on the way to Disneyland he decided he was going to flash his butt to a car on the grapevine which ended up making the person so mad that they got road rage over it and followed us around for quite a while. We were scared at the time, nothing ever came of it so we laugh about it now. He used to fart on my head at Christmas before we opened our Christmas presents. I’m telling you guys he was the silliest person you have ever met. We grew up close, really close. I was an only child so he was like a brother and a best friend all in one. We would shoot hoops and play soccer after school, he’d come pick me up and we would go have fun. What 15 year old wanted to play with their 9 year old little cousin. Well, he did. He changed my life. I can’t imagine what life would have been without him. Sadly I had to imagine what life was without him. He moved to LA to pursue a career in comedy back in 2010 and he lived there two years successfully before his life was taken short by a drunk driver in 2012. Months before he had been diagnosed with a lump in his chest. He was treating it and we all thought he was in the clear, just for his life to be taken by a drunk driver. We laid him to rest January 18th, 2012. It’s a day I’ll never forget. I still grieve. I still think of him so often. Little things happen weekly that remind me of him. His father passed about 6 months before his passing, and our grandma we used to embarrass in church passed a few months after Angelo did. I like to take comfort in the fact that they are all up there together watching and remembering all the good times, like I am down here. I think grieving is a never ending process, it changes slightly but never goes away. If you are interested in seeing my cousin go on YouTube and type in “ Road dog Angelo Bowers”. Thank you. Kaycee Westfall