As we start the New Year I wanted to highlight some of the seniors in this year’s class at Lake Roosevelt who are succeeding and striving to make a difference in their own lives. I choose Aiyanna Picard because, well, she is “The Legend,” and we kind of have a history with each other.

A long time ago, when I worked with Colville Tribal Emergency Services, we got a call about a lost girl. To make a long story short, this girl was lost for a few days in the woods, and hundreds were called in to look for her. She was found and was perfectly fine, just hungry and cold. That girl was Aiyanna, and that is how she received her nickname “The Legend” from the “Voice of the Raiders.”

I sat down with Aiyanna and asked her how things were going. She had a lot to say and had that unforgettable smile on her face the whole time. It is a contagious smile that makes you want to smile right along with her. The only time that smile disappears is on the volleyball court when she is spiking down the ball on the opponent’s side of the net. Volleyball has become her passion, and volleyball is what she would love to do at the next level. She also wants to be a nurse. She wants to help people and has a big heart to help others, and nursing seems the perfect fit for her.

When I asked her about her senior year she said, “It’s going great, some road bumps but every senior has them, but I feel like I am finishing strong!” She also added “It has been a very fun year and I have liked it so far.” She credited all the teachers and staff at Lake Roosevelt for her success, but pointed out Mrs. Whitelaw for really influencing her. “She really helped me discover who I am as a person and what I want to be,” Aiyanna said. “Her character and the way she teaches really challenges you to be better, and I just love the way she interacts with us.” Great words from a great student.

It has not all been easy for Aiyanna. She lost her father, Francis Picard, at a young age, and that has been her biggest hurdle to overcome so far. As she spoke about him her smile got even bigger as she fought back the emotions that I knew were there. “It was hard, but as I got older I just knew he was there with me, and that made me want to work harder to succeed. I wanted to be a better person for him and for my future.” I know she is making him proud.

Our talk was brief, but not really; we have spoken many times over her high school career. She is the kind of student whom everyone gravitates to and respects for the decisions she makes. She is currently applying for scholarships and colleges, and is looking for a school to give her the right opportunity. She has advice too. For future seniors: “Keep up on your work,” she advises. “There is a deadline for a reason, and in college or in the real world you must meet those deadlines if you want to succeed. And the teachers here at LR are just trying to prepare you for the next level.”

I, for one, cannot wait to see where she lands and how she affects the world. As a nurse, as a volleyball player or anything else she wants to do, I know that she will succeed and rock the world with her determination, passion and that awesome smile. I also know that her dad and the rest of her friends and family are so proud of her and can’t wait to see what other legendary things she accomplishes. Keep smiling, Legend, and go make us all proud.