Elgin JOM Crowns Royalty, Brave at Powwow

Elgin Johnson O’Malley (JOM) held their Fall Benefit Powwow on Saturday, November 18, at the Elgin High School Gym. The organization also named its incoming Jr. Princess, Brave and Sr. Princess.

Bella Hilliard received the Elgin JOM Jr. Princess title.

“I feel very excited and I'm just really thankful for winning,” she said.

Hilliard said it was very difficult and sometimes scary.

“Sometimes, whenever I'm not around with my mom, I get very scared,” she said. “She's always with me, so it's mostly very scary.”

But Hilliard is also excited to help elders as the Elgin JOM Jr. Princess.

“Whenever I come back to a powwow, I'll probably volunteer to help out,” she said.

Hilliard said she raised more than $2,000.

“We sold a bunch of food, like breakfast burritos and meat pies, and we went around to our families, and we asked for them to donate,” she said. “And then some of my family members went around to different powwows to ask people to donate.”

Hilliard was very thankful for her family to help out because she knew they knew how much she wanted the title.

Modesto Schonchin won Elgin’s JOM Brave he said his responsibilities will include representation.

“Going to other powwows, representing Elgin's JOM, showing that we are here,” he said.

Schonchin said it felt good to earn the title and is looking forward to going to other powwows.

“Good to know that I can represent my school to other powwows, probably across the country,” he said.

Schonchin raised over $700 over more than a month.

“Some of my family members in New Mexico helped. They made little candy baskets since it was around Halloween,” he said. “And Auntie Adria from Albuquerque, she came down and she helped make meat pies and a bunch of food. And during the trunk or treat, we sold a lot of meat pies, candy, caramel apples.”

Schonchin said his family was a big part of his success.

“Just say thank you to everyone that helped, and to my mom for being my number one supporter during all this,” he said. “My sister helping me sell. My family in Albuquerque for helping me as well. And to everyone that gave me money to vote for me.”

Elgin JOM’s Sr. Princess Cambree Mahsetky said her support group helped her receive the title.

“It was donations, but we also did a fundraiser with my mom's lash business,” she said.

Mahsetky said they did a raffle.

“It was $5 a ticket, and if you won, you got a free full set and a free peel,” she said.

Mahsetky said she felt great to have the title.

“This is the first year Elgin's ever done something like this, so it's honestly exciting to be able to represent this program for the first year,” she said.

Mahsetky was also grateful to accept the position.

“I'm excited for our JOM program to keep continuing with our youth, so it feels good,” she said.

Mahsetky said she also has several other responsibilities with the Sr. Princess title.

“I want to stay more in my youth council. I am going to be more of an advocate to them and to JOM as well,” she said. “So go to all these powwows, these events, you know, get our program out there and let them know.”

There were several raffles, a potato dance and a cake walk.