This is Lil Bean. She is 3 pounds and will be only 5 pounds full grown. Unfortunately, this sweet girl has a liver shunt and- because of her microscopic-sized liver- not the best prognosis. We brought bean into our family to bring joy in a time of sadness, and we are praying she can fight through and live a full, happy life. Bean is the sweetest puppy I have seen and has a feisty playful side, and is also cuddly and loving.

My name is Emily Raymond; I am a freshman studying U.S. policy and law. A little over a year ago, my best friend, Mya Pena, had her life stolen due to an abusive relationship she was engaged in. Mya's selfless heart led her to try saving this mentally ill boy, but he took that for granted and killed her when she tried to leave the relationship. Her family and I are now creating a foundation called "Mya's World" to help provide resources and support to domestic violence victims. My main focus of studying U.S. policy is to help me gain the knowledge and resources to eventually hold the position to implement self-defense training for young women and apply more education around domestic abuse in schools. I would use this grant as access to higher quality classes to advance my knowledge around the subject of public leadership. I want to use my Political studies to advocate for those who can not, like Mya. I would use this grant to help me gain the skills to honor Mya's precious and short-lived life, but I would also use it to help forge myself a step closer to becoming a public political figure/ activist. I have high expectations for myself but also increased confidence. I believe I can single-handedly make a difference in this world with my aspirations and ideas. I am sick of standing by and watching the chaos, destruction, and tragedy strike over and over again like it did to my community last year. I am ready to make a difference and fight the evil that creeps about the world. If interested in learning more about Mya's story and foundation, you can read the FOX31 news articles on it, as they are the most accurate source of information. Mya also has a beautiful mural painted of her in the streets of downtown Denver. Her story and foundation will never go unheard, and I will continue to do all that I can to honor her story and save any potential victims. Thank you for taking the time to read her story as well as mine.

Coronavirus. The first time I heard about this mysterious virus, I remember I was in my senior Government class in high school. I remember being so naive in thinking, “Oh, it is all the way in China. We will be fine!”. Then, I remember I was at dinner with my family, and cousins-which then became one of the last family outings for months- and saw on the news that the United States had its first confirmed case. From then on, I checked the news every day, slowly watching the number of states with confirmed cases creep higher and higher until it infected my home state of Colorado. I am sure many others felt the impact of COVID, whether their job was stolen from under their feet or a family member was lost due to this tragic virus, but believe it or not, COVID-19 has positively impacted me somewhat. I am fortunate and privileged to have a financially stable and supportive family, so when covid hit, my main concern was not for myself, but my neighbors around me who are not as fortunate as me. In my senior year, I was still torn on what career path I felt was best for me, but COVID helped me decide. Seeing so many others struggle encouraged me to pursue a political science career with a concentration in law and policy. Growing up privileged has inspired me to pass my blessings on to others. As I am finishing my first semester of college education, I have realized one of my main aspirations is to offer others a chance to succeed. Thanks to COVID, I have found my calling in public policy and believe I can be the change I want to see in the world. Coronavirus has encouraged me to use my voice and stand up to unfair governmental practices that occur at times of struggle. Of course, nobody could predict the explosion of this pandemic, but I believe us citizens have an opportunity to use this virus for good. The best time to identify the root of government vs. citizen conflict is when it is at its peak-which it is now more than ever, thanks to COVID. Visiting the core of the conflict and searching for settlement will tremendously increase the quality of life for humans. Yes, COVID-19 has created disaster and chaos throughout the world. Still, it provides good to me personally by providing a path to my passion and provides good to the world by creating an open discussion of how our world leaders can do better. There is always room for improvement, and COVID is a test for our officials to determine what exactly can be improved within world governments. I have always been one to find the good in the worst of times, so I believe there is still a deeper purpose to catastrophes like this, and we can not focus on the negative impacts, or else we will never grow more robust.

January 14, 2020, my life changed forever. In my sophomore year of high school, I transferred from a huge public school with 3,000 students to a private Seventh Day Adventist school named Mile High Academy, with only 66 students. Upon my arrival at this new school, I met a girl named Mya Pena. Mya, like me, transferred from a public school for similar reasons. We instantly clicked and became inseparable best friends. In our senior year, she started seeing a boy who struggled with mental health issues. I would spend occasional time with the two of them because he was my best friend's boyfriend, but I instantly noticed how toxic this relationship was. Unfortunately, the abusive nature of their relationship ended with the loss of Mya's beautiful life. On January 14th of this year, her killer picked her up from school, and minutes later, he stabbed and strangled her to death because she tried to escape the relationship and break up with him. Her killer then attempted to flee the city but later blew out two tires on a highway leading out of the state. I believe this is God’s doing to help us find Mya, as she was still considered missing at this point. Her killer, who I do not name anymore, killed himself as cops approached his vehicle later that night, leaving us with painful unanswered questions. I don't remember much from the week of the tragedy, except for constant sadness in everyday activities and the guilt of not offering to give her a ride home that day, as I usually would. I have experienced death before, but never like this. What do you do when you are told your best friend was murdered? It was always her and me; how do I learn to adjust to this sad new reality without her by my side? Although Mya's precious life was stolen from her at the age of 17, going through this experience has made me stronger and provided me with a different outlook on life. I now strive to offer support to other young women in abusive relationships and use Mya’s story to empower women in similar situations to seek resources and help. Mya has a beautiful mural painted of her in the streets of downtown Denver with the words “Mya’s World” written on the bottom to raise awareness of the foundation created in her name to help domestic violence victims find support. Mya Pena had one of the most unique, loving, giving, and admirable personalities. Although her loss is incredibly painful for her loved ones and even strangers, we are determined to let her story be discussed and used as an example for others in similar situations. Losing a loved one leaves a hole that will never be mended, but also teaches us how to live for someone else and bring good to the traumatic and despairing times we encounter. If interested in more information on her story, mural, and foundation, you can search her name and read the 9News articles that have been done, as they are the most accurate source of information. Remember to tell the people close to you that you love them. Thank you for taking the time to read her story.