It was Julie Andrews who said behaving like a princess is work. It's not just about being beautiful or wearing a crown, it's more about how you are inside.
The BC Ambassador program held their ‘crowning’ for the 2024 BC Ambassadors on July 26 and 27 in Lake Cowichan's Mesachie Lake Hall for their second consecutive year. Around 30 Ambassadors came out to this year's gala event with their families and chaperones. Other candidates in the four-month program came from areas of the B.C. Interior, including Peachland, West Kelowna, while others came from Ladysmith.
"The candidates present community presentations and speeches and three Ambassadors are crowned to represent the youth of BC for the year," said BC Ambassador program coordinator Emily Pastor. "They travel throughout the province to promote the program and their home communities. It comes with an immense sense of pride for your hometown and province to represent as an ambassador and come together in the program and celebrate their accomplishments with the gala for the public. It was an honour for the pageant to be held in Cowichan Lake for the previous two years, and we are excited to bring more events like these to Vancouver Island for many years to come."
Lake Cowichan's Elise Nelson was selected as one of this year's three BC Ambassadors and was awarded a plaque for exceptional public speaking which also came with a bursary for $1,000.
"I was deeply honoured to receive the Public Speaking award," said Nelson. "All the candidates performed exceptionally well, each showcasing their unique strengths in public speaking. I’m sure it was a difficult decision for the judges, and I am truly grateful for the recognition. My first experience with public speaking was a fourth-grade school event where I presented on giraffes. Although it certainly wasn’t my best work, it marked the start of my public speaking journey. Since then, I have delivered a variety of speeches, covering topics from personal passions to introducing my community, Cowichan Lake."
The other two candidates selected were Lucy Matchim of Kamloops, and Jordyn Nelson from Oliver. Nelson was crowned by outgoing BC Ambassador Brooklyn Kruk who is also from Lake Cowichan, and represented Cowichan Lake as a 1st Princess in 2017-2018 and as a British Columbia Ambassador in 2023-2024. Since Kruk's reign, she continues to volunteer with the Cowichan Lake and BC Ambassador Programs, and has graduated from Vancouver Island University with her Bachelors of Education.
"In 2022, I was honoured to be crowned Cowichan Lake Second Princess, representing my community," said Nelson. "All candidates in the British Columbia Ambassador Program have previously held titles in their own communities and travel from all over British Columbia to compete. My favourite part of being an ambassador is having the opportunity to travel around British Columbia. I enjoy experiencing the province's diverse landscapes, and forging connections with its various communities."
Nelson who is 19 plans to use the $1,000 bursary towards her post-secondary education, and will be entering her second year in the Bachelor of Science program, majoring in biology at Vancouver Island University.
"My goal is to become an environmental scientist, focusing on wildlife conservation on Vancouver Island," said Nelson. "I have always had a passion for biology. Growing up with my mom working as a biology lab technician, I was often in environments that nurtured my interest in science. She influenced many aspects of my life, including instilling a deep wonder for the world around us."
When Nelson is not being a beacon in her community or studying to one day help make a difference with the beautiful wildlife that surrounds us — she enjoys expressing herself creatively though sketching and painting, as well as being in the great outdoors hiking, swimming in Cowichan Lake and watching the beautiful valley sunsets with her friends.
"I cherish exploring the world around me," said Nelson.
