Fields Named Little Cherokee Ambassador

Brushy Elementary School sixth-grader Maysi Fields was crowned Saturday as the 2017-18 Little Cherokee Ambassador in the 10-12 age category.

Twenty-two Cherokee children competed in three age divisions at the New Life Worship Center in Tahlequah for the titles. Little Cherokee Ambassadors act as role models and ambassadors for the tribe by attending events and parades for the next year. The competition kicks off the 66th Annual Cherokee National Holiday, which runs this upcoming Labor Day weekend.

Fields, 11, of Sallisaw previously competed and served as a Little Cherokee Ambassador in the 7-9 and 4-6 age divisions.

This year her cultural presentation was on how the deer got its antlers. She answered the importance of the Cherokee clan system and which Tribal Council district she resides in. She also correctly identified that the Principal Chief and Deputy Chief’s race is every four years, with the next election coming June 2019.

“It feels really good to be crowned,” Fields said in tears, after hearing her name announced. “I really just want to meet new people and am looking forward to traveling around the Cherokee Nation.”

Joining her in the male division of Little Cherokee Ambassador is Heritage Elementary School fifth-grader Steven Gourd, 11, of Tahlequah.

Ava Oxford, a fourth-grader at Grandview Elementary in Tahlequah, sang “I’ll Fly Away” in Cherokee to win the 7-9 age division.

“I’m in Cherokee Language Bowl and practiced a lot for the competition,” Oxford said.

Winning in the 4-6 age division were Jaycee Scraper, 6, of Pryor, and Cherokee Immersion School student Hunter Sanders, 5, of Tahlequah.

The Junior Miss Cherokee competition is slated for 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Tahlequah Armory Municipal Center and the Miss Cherokee Leadership Competition will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 25 at Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Tahlequah.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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