She was a spitfire.

From the first moment she walked into my classroom at Lutheran High Northeast, I knew Janelle would be one of those students: the ones you forge a bond with and see the potential for infinite growth.

It didn’t hurt that she was a younger sister to one of Courtney’s best friends and I knew the type of person she was and wanted to be.

With Janelle, there was no illusion or pretense. She was simply Janelle, a confident young woman, comfortable in her own skin. She loved Jesus and wasn’t afraid to use Bible verses to make a point.

She would make a point, often, especia...