2019's Cover Child
​Members of the Holiday Card Project select the child who receives the most votes during the public vote but wasn't selected by a local business to be sponsored. 

Tessa Schaff

Tessa is a 14 year old high school student at Ralston Valley with her favorite subjects being science and art. She has previously been diagnosed with Level 1 Autism and currently visits Children’s Occupational Treatment Center in Broomfield. She also has periodic follow up appointments to evaluate her Mitrovalve Prolapse condition at the Children’s Hospital Colorado. Tessa loves nature, animals and the outdoors. Mountain biking, art, hiking, reading, swimming and tennis are all a part of her avid lifestyle. She hopes to have a career that involves animals and the outdoor elements. Tessa is very kind hearted and quite fond of her Rosebreasted Cockatoo name Fawkes.

Jami Telford

Jami is in the 9th grade at Discovery Christian school in Farmington, NM where she enjoys art, soccer and ballet. She also enjoys participating in various rodeo competitions and spending time with her 4 horses, 2 goats and one dog. Jami has a rare condition called Collagenous Gastritis and her treatment is going very well. Her mom thanks Children's for the changes in her daughter, making her an active and talkative teenager.​

Derek Fernandez

Derek is 13 years old and loves sports!  When he grows up he wants to be a professional soccer player. Derek is in the 8th grade at Turner Middle school and his favorite class is gym. Derek was in Children’s this summer for anomalous coronary artery repair and is doing quite well. ​

Arielan Palencia Li

Arielan is in the 9th 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 honor student. Her musical interest is playing the piano. In her spare time, Arielan loves to draw, paint, read, and listen to K-pop. Her dream is to go to her favorite K-pop artist’s concert one day. She has a fun and energetic 5-year old brother, Aaden, and an older sister, Briana. Arielan hopes to travel the world in the future.​

Kinley Van Dam

Kinley is an 8 year old aspiring artist or nurse or gymnast...always good to keep your options open. She has been coming  to Children’s to deal with the challenges of recurring strep throat and also had her tonsils and adenoids out along the way. She loves spending time in the Seacrest Studio. Kinley attends St. John's Lutheran and is in the 3rd grade with favorite subjects being art, science and math. Actually, she just loves school! She is a sensitive soul, a caring friend and is passionate about people. At home she hangs out with Oliver, her Shih Tzu/Maltese and Ginger, her guinea pig and enjoys arts and crafts, playing with dolls and lots of creative activities.​

Emmory McQueen

Emmory lives in Parker, Colorado and is a junior at Renaissance Secondary School in Castle Rock. Her favorite subjects are introduction to veterinary medicine and science. She is an avid reader and enjoys arts and crafts and knitting. She has 2 dogs, Cooper and Izzy, 1 cat, Mikey, goats and chickens. Emmory is passionate about animals, nature in general and giving back. In 2018 she started Care Packages for Care Givers, a small charity that puts together gift packages for caretakers of people with chronic illnesses. Emmory has been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and is a patient of the gastroenterology department at Children’s Hospital.

Heidi Lopez-Rivas

Heidi lives in Denver, Colorado and is a senior at Kipp Denver Collegiate High School. Her favorite subjects in school are writing and math. She has a pet dog named Chapo and enjoys playing volleyball, hiking and dancing. Heidi is passionate about "being the best she can be" and wants to become a nurse or pursue a business career. Heidi has been seen at Children’s Hospital for a kidney study.

Sofia Abdi

Sofia spent time at Children’s this summer for surgery to lengthen her Achilles. She attends Hamilton Middle School and is in the 8th grade. She would like to be a surgeon when she grows up. Sofia enjoys reading, sleeping and playing volleyball and is passionate about getting good grades this year. Her favorite subject in school is art.

Kaylea Van Dam

Kaylea is a 10 year old people loving, volleyball playing 5th grader who attends St. John's Lutheran School. When asked what her favorite subjects are, math and science are the answers. She would eventually like to be a model or a nurse or an actress/singer. At home she keeps good company with her Shih Tzu/Maltese, Oliver, and her guinea pig named Willow. Kaylea comes to Children’s Hospital to help her manage her juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Celiac's and chronic nerve disease working regularly with the Pain Team and therapists in the PT/OT clinic. However, her favorite hangout is the Seacrest Studio...she loves it!!

Katrin Harres

Katrin is in the 7th grade at Louis Palmer Middle School. She wants to do something in the arts or be a Veterinarian when she grows up. She loves volleyball, art and playing the clarinet in the school band, but she is most passionate about art. Her favorite subjects in school also include World Studies. Katrin has a dog named Roscoe. Katrin was diagnosed with a broken arm and went through an emergency surgery at Children’s.​

Samantha Moser

Samantha is a junior high school student attending Colorado Preparatory Academy. Complications after her birth caused a condition called Hydrocephalus which has resulted in 3 brain surgeries since. She has a twin brother. She has recently been diagnosed with chronic migraines and fibromyalgia and has been treated at Children’s several times in the past year as a patient in the neurology and neurosurgery departments. Samantha loves to swim and volunteer at Children’s and she aspires to be a nurse in the Children’s neuroscience unit!  

Maia Dana

Maia is 13 years old and attends Manhattan Middle School in Boulder. Her favorite subjects are language arts and of course, art! Maia was born with hip dysplasia and had a periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) surgery this summer at Children’s. Her goal is to be able to snow ski again this winter! She also enjoys contemporary dance. A brand-new family addition is their Boston Terrier named Duke. When we think Maia we think creativity!