TAHLEQUAH, OK – Fort Gibson Elementary School fourth-grader Addison Rouse’s presentation on the significance of the corn bead and how it is used for traditional jewelry earned her the Little Cherokee Ambassador title Aug. 6.

About 20 youth competed in the Little Cherokee Ambassador competitions at the Tahlequah Armory.

Winning the 10-12 age division was Manny Longhorn, a fifth-grader at Westside Elementary School in Claremore. In the 7-9 age division were Emma Fields, who attends Brushy School in Sequoyah County, and Kellen Rhoton, who attends Herald Elementary in Collinsville.

Crowned as Little Cherokee Ambassador in the 4-6 age division was Reese Henson, of Fort Gibson, a second-grader at Cherokee Immersion Charter School.

“The Little Cherokee Ambassador competition is a great way to get our youngest Cherokee Nation citizens involved and learning early their history, culture and language,” Principal Chief Bill John Baker said. “It’s also a great stepping stone for future leadership competitions, since one of these ladies will likely go on to compete for Junior Miss or Miss Cherokee one day.”

Rouse, 10, answered correctly the three branches of the Cherokee Nation government, three states that were original Cherokee homelands and two former principal chiefs’ names to take the crown and sash in the 10-12 age division.

“It’s a dream come true,” Rouse said. “I’ve worked for this, and now I’m going to work for my Nation.”
The ambassadors accompany Miss Cherokee and Junior Miss Cherokee to sponsored events and for the next year serve as representatives of the tribe.

From left to right are the 2016-17 Little Cherokee Ambassadors Manny Longhorn, Reese Henson, Kellen Rhoton, Emma Fields and Addison Rouse. They were crowned ambassadors Aug. 6 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. (Courtesy photo)

The Junior Miss Cherokee competition is slated for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Tahlequah Municipal Armory Building, and the Miss Cherokee Leadership Competition will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 27 at Cornerstone Church in Tahlequah.