Loveland, Colorado has just found its newest Miss Valentine, Ellie Heiser and she’s already making a name for herself in the community. At only 17 years old, this young softball player has been recognized for her outstanding character and leadership qualities.
Ellie is a born and raised local here in Loveland. Currently a senior at Loveland High School, she has future plans to continue her education and softball career at Adams State University. When asked about what makes Loveland special she replied “Loveland community has a small town feel while also having opportunities to do more. Activities like hanging a lock on the Love Lock Sculpture, going to Dairy Delite with your family, or taking a bike ride on recreational trails there is so much to enjoy. While Loveland is a town of love, it is also a place that truly brings people together with all you can do and all it has to offer.”
In order to become Miss Valentine Ellie first had to qualify, meaning she had to have a high GPA, meet the requirements for the busy schedule, and get voted into the top 4 by teachers in her school. After this, it was “boot camp” the remaining contestants from all over Loveland were tested on interview questions, public speaking, the dos and don'ts, an essay, and much more. Lastly, each of them gave a speech on Loveland, My Community written however they felt fit the topic. Based on all these factors, the judges voted on the rated scale and crowned Miss Valentine. When crowned Ellie had this to say "Being Miss Valentine, in the largest and simplest meaning to me, is a blessing. I am so thankful to have been granted this opportunity to be able to represent my community as well as contribute to it. I feel it brings upon great responsibility and I feel great honor. I hope that I can contribute much to my community being Miss Loveland as so many others have."
Ellie is an active student at school both in the classroom and on the softball field. Representing your community at the young age of 17 can be stressful but her role on the field has helped shape her view on what it truly means to be a member of society. When talking about what this position means to her, Ellie said “To me, when being a part of a team, no matter the sport, a good teammate is one who does their job, and that does their job well. In a sport such as softball, there are different positions that all have different responsibilities but are necessary in a game. The same analogy applies to a community. As there are many jobs and different parts that make up a community, being an important member of the community means doing your job well and contributing to making your community a better place.” With a young representative like this creating a path for future Miss Valentines I think we are in pretty great hands.
