By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
Three young ladies will vie for the title of Miss Cherokee 2011 during the annual pageant scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1 at 6pm at the Cherokee Cultural Arts Center. Karyl Frankiewicz, Melodee Trae Crowe and Kristina Hyatt are the three contestants for the title.
“Once again, this year we have three beautiful and talented young women vying for the coveted title of Miss Cherokee 2011,” said Debbie West, EBCI Royalty Board. “Although our participation is low, we have a lovely pageant planned. Any of the three young women will make a wonderful representative of our Tribe and continue to uphold the honor, dignity and respect that the title represents.”
West went on to say, “Because of who she is and her title (Miss Cherokee, Ambassador of the EBCI), we have strived for several years to have an elegant pageant in an elegant location. We believe we have achieved that. The Cultural Arts Center at the new Cherokee School is very nice and the Royalty Board does a fabulous job decorating. Also, our volunteers in all areas are wonderful and we couldn’t do it without them.”
Frankiewicz, 19, is the daughter of Melissa Arch and Quinton Frankiewicz. She is a freshman at Southwestern Community College and related that she enjoys doing Cherokee arts and crafts in her spare time. Frankiewicz is from the Birdtown Community.
Crowe, 19, is the daughter of Troy and Miss Crowe. She is a sophomore at Southwestern Community College where she is active in the Native American Student Organization. Crowe is from the Big Y Community.
Hyatt, 22, is the daughter of Lavon and Gloria Hyatt. She is a senior at UNC-Asheville and related that she enjoys sports, reading, shopping and spending time with her nephew Reggie and cousin Shelby. Hyatt is from the Big Cove Community.
MISS CHEROKEE THROUGH THE YEARS
Note: This list was provided by the EBCI Royalty Board
YEAR NAME
1963 Dorothy McCoy Smith
1964 vacant
1965 vacant
1966 vacant
1967 Faren Sanders Crews
1968 Penny Otter Huntsman
1969 Patty Grant
1970 Loretta Hornbuckle Kirby
1971 Shirley Swayney Cloer
1972 Pearl Bradley
1973 Rowena Teesateskie
1974 Lawana Cooper Almond
1975 Deborah West
1976 Debta Conseen Bradley
1977 Elista Long
1978 Loretta Ann Hornbuckle
1979 Betty Owle Mooreland
1980 Alice Virginia Groenwold
1981 Gloria West Hyatt
1982 Melvina Swimmer
1983 Eugenia Thompson
1984 Mollie Lossiah Grant
1985 Renissa McLaughlin Walker
1986 Lavenia West Hicks
1987 Becky Wildcatt Crowe
1988 Janell Rattler
1989 Lori Sanders
1990 Keredith Owens-Rose
1991 Cynthia Ledford
1992 Heather Swimmer-Younce
1993 Sheila Davis Brown
1994 Ursula Welch
1995 April Sampson-Shuler
1996 Nakoa Chiltoskie
1997 Mollie Hornbuckle
1998 Monica Wildcatt Tafoya
1999 Natassia Baldwin
2000 Danielle Brooke Lossiah
2001 Ina George Laws
2002 Natalie Hill
2003 Amy Darlene Kalonaheskie
2004 Emra Arkansas
2005 Samantha Crowe Hernandez
2006 vacant
2007 Kara Martin
2008 Amanda Wolfe
2009 Rachel Hicks
2010 Tonya Carroll