Queen Silver Star LV is bowing out of a royal tradition as she pursues a valuable opportunity towards her education.
Alicia Hill-Turner won’t be able to attend the Proclamation and Coronation of Queen Silver Star LVI Thursday as she heads to Toronto for the Loran Scholars Foundation national interviews.
Traditionally, Hill-Turner would crown the new Queen Silver Star, and she regrets not being able to attend her final royal duty.
“The timing couldn’t be any worse,” said Hill-Turner, who has spent the past year serving as ambassador for Vernon alongside Princess Hannah Vaz. “But they, the board, have been really supportive.”
Hill-Turner was one of the record 4,273 applicants the Loran Scholars Foundation received this year. She is also one of the 80 finalists chosen to attend national interviews in Toronto, which she flies out for on Thursday.
“I was nominated by my school,” said Hill-Turner, who attends Aberdeen Hall. “Each school can nominate one person.”
After national interviews, 30 Loran Scholars will be selected. Each Loran Award is valued at up to $100,000 over four years, including an annual stipend and matching tuition waiver, access to summer internship funding, a weeklong Outward Bound expedition, annual retreats and forums, as well as personal mentorship.
“So it’s a really big scholarship and it will basically pay for my whole undergraduate degree,” said Hill-Turner, who will be studying bio-medical engineering and hopes to also obtain her MBA.
“I want to run my own lab where I can create prosthetic limbs and organs so I can give to society to ensure people have a better quality of life.”
In her absence, Princess Hannah Vaz and Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund will be crowning the new royalty.
The proclamation gets underway at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Performing Arts Centre. It is the conclusion to the excellence program for the seven candidates taking part. The top three finalists from the talent showcase will perform, scholarship winners will be announced and Vernon’s new ambassadors will be crowned. Tickets are $20, available from the candidates, Ticket Seller and at the door.
