2020 Cover Child: Reid Arendale
Selected by ​the Holiday Card Project committee as the artist with the most public votes without a local business sponsorship.
Reid is an 8th grader at Cherry Creek Academy, where his favorite subjects are writing and art. He is a competitive swimmer, loves to ski, loves to draw and enjoys playing Xbox.

Drawing is his biggest passion, as it puts him in a calm state. He thinks outside the box and is super creative. Reid has two German Shepherds, Max and Echo, and he loves to spend time playing with them.

​He was in Children’s Hospital in July for 16 days suffering from what started as an infection in the bone above his knee which became a staph infection that turned into sepsis, spreading everywhere. The situation looked dire, but he overcame and was released with 6 weeks of antibiotics and blood thinners. Now he is participating in 3 research studies.

​Reid wants to be a pilot when he grows up.

Heidi Lopez-Rivas

Heidi lives in Denver, Colorado and recently graduated from Kipp Denver Collegiate High School. Her favorite subjects in school are writing and math.

Heidi is passionate about "being the best she can be" and wants to pursue a business career. She is attending SNHU (Southern New Hampshire University) online and is following the study of communications.

​She has a pet dog name Chapo and enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, drawing and dancing. She loves fashion and shoes!! 

Chase Harris

Chase is 8 years old and is in the third grade at Soaring Hawk Elementary School in Castle Rock, where his favorite subjects are Art and Math. Not a surprise, his passions revolve around art and drawing, although baseball and legos are also on the short list. He loves being with his friends, penguins and MARVEL.

What would he like his future career to be? Right now the list includes being a filmmaker, a comic book designer and/or a fireman. Chase is in his 10th month of a multi-year treatment plan for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Arielan Palencia Li

Arielan, age 15, is in 10th grade at Grandview High School. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in 2015 and has relapsed twice. She is currently in remission.

She enjoys math and art. Arielan strives to have good grades and is a Straight A honors student. She enjoys going to school and learning new things. Her musical interest is playing the piano. In her spare time, Arielan loves to draw, paint, bake, watch movies, and listen to K-pop. Her favorite band is BTS, and she hopes to go to their concert and meet them one day.

She has a fun 6 year old brother, Aaden, and an older sister, Briana. Arielan hopes to travel the world in the future.

Porter “PJ” Schaaf

Porter (“PJ”) attends West Woods Elementary, where he is in the 4th grade. His favorite subjects, at this time, are PE and math. He thinks it is kind of early to decide on a career but he has interest in being a gamer and/or artist.

After riding bikes or playing video games like Fortnite, PJ may be found swimming in a cold river before coming in for hot chocolate. He thinks his bird Fawkes, a pet cockatoo sporting pink and gray feathers, is the cutest bird ever.

Like his sister Tessa, PJ has visited Children’s Hospital Colorado for cardiology.  Food allergy diagnoses keep PJ away from peanuts, most tree nuts, and sesame seeds, although he does love chocolate milk (and Fortnite).

​A difficult thing for PJ this year was his older brother Myles passing away. They had so much fun playing together; some of their favorite activities together were playing Roblox, setting up prize games, and making YouTube videos. They will be bro-tastic brothers forever.

Tessa Schaff

Tessa enjoys studying science and art (especially 3D art) as a 10th grader at Ralston Valley High School. Diagnosed with level 1 autism, Tessa currently participates in a Social Thinking group via telemedicine; the cardiology department also monitors her mitral valve prolapse.

Tessa’s passions include mountain biking,  nature,  and running, — perfect training for a possible career as an outdoor recreation guide. Tessa also enjoys baking, creating new recipes, and healthful foods. Tessa cares for the family’s rose-breasted cockatoo, Fawkes; the bird has clearly chosen Tessa as his favorite person. He will do tricks and hang out on her shoulder.

Tessa’s younger brother Myles passed away in 2020; only 15 months her junior, she and Myles were very close having been toddlers together and loved to play imagination games. Tessa has great memories of him and he will be her brother forever.

Alisyn Reyes

Alisyn, 12, is a 6th grader at Poudre River School, where her favorite subjects are science and math.

She has been treated at Children’s for asthma and has also seen rheumatologists for hypermobility. Alisyn loves swimming and spoiling her dog Pikachu (Chihuahua pug mix) with different outfits.

Alisyn’s younger brother has spent time in the ICU with food allergies, which has inspired her to become a scientist and cure food allergies. Alisyn is ready to change the world!

Maia Dana

Maia is 14 years old and is in 9th grade at Fairview High School in Boulder. Maia was born with hip dysplasia and had periacetabular osteotomy surgery in 2019 at Children’s. One of her goals last year was to be able to ski again this past winter, and she did!

She went camping and rafting this summer. She has a younger brother, Eli, and a Boston Terrier named Duke. Her favorite subjects are reading and writing. She has recently learned to play the guitar. She would like to be an artist when she grows up.

Kinley Van Dam

Kinley is a 9 year-old aspiring model, actress and nurse. She is a sensitive soul, a caring friend, and is passionate about her family, friends and everyone around her. At home she hangs out with Oliver, her ShihTzu/Maltese dog, and Ginger, her guinea pig. Kinley loves animals!

​She has been coming to Children’s Hospital Colorado to deal with the challenges of recurring strep throat and also had her tonsils and adenoids removed along the way. She loves spending time in the Seacrest Studio playing games, doing crafts, singing, dancing and being silly with the Studio team.

Kinley is in the 4th grade with her favorite subject being math. She has a very artistic and creative mind. This is why it brings her joy to create holiday cards for Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Harleigh Trujillo

Harleigh is a 16-year-old junior at Green Mountain High School, where she enjoys drawing, painting and spending time with her friends. She underwent a Nuss procedure at Children's to correct pectus excavatum and after two years, was able to have her bar removed in July.

​Harleigh is passionate about all animals and is the proud owner of two Chihuahuas, Turbo and Toby. Recently, Harleigh made the decision to someday pursue a career in art – she undoubtedly will achieve with great success!

Aaden Palencia-Li

Aaden is a first grader at Aspen Crossing Elementary where his favorite subject is reading. He likes to play Minecraft with his sisters, read, play outside, especially at the playground with his friends, and he is learning to swim.

Aaden also enjoys music, dancing and singing. Of all the things he likes to do, he is most passionate about Minecraft and reading.

​Aaden was a patient at Children’s this year in the dermatology department. He would like to be a scientist when he grows up.

Kaylea Van Dam

Kaylea is an 11 1/2 year old who is in the 6th grade. Kaylea comes to Children’s Hospital Colorado to help manage her Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Celiac Disease and Childhood Fibromyalgia. She works regularly with the Rheumatology Team, GI Team, Endocrine Team, Pain Team and their therapists. However, her favorite hangout is the Seacrest Studio. The Seacrest Studio has helped her show how she can be accepting of anyone and how much she loves acting and being in front of the camera. This has led her to want to be a professional dancer when she grows up.

Kaylea’s favorite subject is math. At home she loves spending time with her puppy Ollie. Kaylea also has a guinea pig named Willow.

​Kaylea is a wonderful and loving big sister who enjoys sharing her talents so other kids can also be inspired to reach farther and strive harder.

Elizabeth Marr

Elizabeth is a 9th grader at Niwot High School. Her favorite subject is science. She enjoys figure skating and spending time with her pets. She as two bunnies, Lucy and Snowflake, that free roam in her room at home.

She loves crafting and helping other patients at the hospital. Elizabeth leads a craft show twice a month at Seacrest Studios where she guides patients through a craft. Crafting helped Elizabeth through her injuries and she wanted to share this joy with others.

She is also serving as a patient ambassador for the Burn Center.
In July 2019, Elizabeth was severely burned in a grease fire while traveling with family friends in Florida. When she came back to Colorado, she went straight to Children’s Hospital and has been treated by the Burn Team ever since. Elizabeth wants to work in a Burn Center to help other patients like herself.