By Alan Sorensen
Four young girls ranging in age from 14 years to 10 months were crowned Miss Indian Princesses in a competition that generated nearly $5,000 for the Sweetgrass Society 2000 Pow-wow.
The princesses crowned neared the conclusion of the two-day powwow Saturday, from youngest to oldest, were:
Baby MSU-N Sweetgrass Society Indian Princess Alexis Rose Flansburg, 10 months, of Havre;
Little Miss Indian MSU-N Princess Jestina Good Voice, 4, of Rocky Boy;
Miss Indian MSU-N Junior Princess Jeri Lynn Nepoose, 8, of Rocky Boy;
Miss Indian MSU-Northern Princess Shoshanna Saddler, 14, Rocky Boy.
The four winners were up against some stiff competition from: Mikayla Gopher, 2, of Rocky Boy; Kaylin Doney, 2, Fort Belknap; Leiani White Horse, 4, Rocky Boy; Christina Flansburg, 8, Fort Belknap; Aarica Healy, 13, Harlem; Buffy Youpee, 18, Rocky Boy; and Ashley Alvarado, 15, Fort Belknap.
The contestants vied for votes by collecting funds for the powwow. Each $1 donation they collected was worth one vote. This year, they generated $4,914,86 for the university's Sweetgrass Society.
MSU-N Sweetgrass Society President Elaine Healy-Berger credited the winners for their part in the fund-raising campaign, but said that the remaining contestants all deserved honorable mention honors for their part, too.
