The Alaskans featured in State of the State address

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Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at 4:54 PM

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Miss America Emma Broyles, the first Miss Alaska to win that honor, is introduced during Gov. Mike Dunleavy's State of the State speech before a joint session of the Alaska Legislature Jan. 25 ( KINY / Klas Stolpe )

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Ranging from Miss America, police, corrections, national guard, and breaking addiction cycles, five Alaskans of different backgrounds were introduced during the Governor's State of the State Address.

Emma Broyles broke ground as the first Miss Alaska to win the title of Miss America in the 100-year history of the competition. She used her platform during the competition to openly discuss her experience with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in hopes that viewers could relate to her experience.

"I'm currently working with Special Olympics International to further my social impact initiative, and I'm really looking forward to the work that I'm gonna get to do with Miss America and to be able to show Alaskans and little girls everywhere who may not be girls who look like them in popular media that they can be the one to break the glass barriers and to like, break the glass roof," said Broyles.

Carley Rose Kelley is a survivor who is breaking addiction cycles. Today, at age 27, she is three years sober, after surviving domestic violence and drug addiction. She is a Client Navigator and Peer Support Specialist for at-risk and homeless youth at My House in Wasilla.

"I've had a lot of loss and pain in my life, and today, I get to share a light. What I want people to see is that you can recover, and you can get your children back, and that there is life after dope. There is life after all heartache," said Kelley. "It took a community to get more where I'm at today. It wasn't easy, but it's totally worth it."

Captain Andrew Viray was commissioned into the Army National Guard as an infantry officer after graduating and is serving as a plans and projects officer until he takes command of an Infantry Rifle Company in the coming months. Capt. Viray has been a leader in the states COVID response since the Joint Task Force was first stood up in March 2020. He has also served as a staff planner in the Joint Task Force emergency responses in Fairbanks, the Mat-Su, and Yakutat.

"So upon my return from deployment to Kosovo, I offered the division to serve on the Joint Staff, with that, I have been a planner since then, everything from assistance with the state for the primary elections food distribution, everything has been going on recently, with the recent winter storms that we had," said Viray.

Sergeant Ken Noland, Staff Sgt. of Operations, is one of the most senior Corrections officers. Sgt. Noland mentored and trained his peers for more than 25 years.

"This is an honor for myself. This is also for the rest of the officers, and the support staff to work within the Department of Corrections. I look forward to being here tonight for the honor."

Sergeant Elondre Johnson is an 18-year veteran of the Alaska State Troopers, assigned to the Bethel Post. In recognition of his outstanding service and his model example to fellow Troopers, Sgt. Johnson was named the 2020 Alaska State Trooper of the Year.

"One of the reasons for being on Alaska State Trooper that I think is just so intriguing to me is that we have kind of a unique brand set in that the largest part of our successes are being in the community, that recognition and kind of how people kind of work and flow with us to get our jobs done," said Noland. "I'm in an area where I take somebody to jail today, and tomorrow they're helping me go out and do a search and rescue. So that type of brand, that type of policing has what's kept me in Alaska to continue to do that."

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said the five special guests exemplify the heart of Alaska through their hard work and determination.

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First Lady Rose Dunleavy is introduced during Gov. Mike Dunleay's State of the State speech before a joint session of the Alaska Legislature in the House Chamber on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the state Capitol.

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