Spokane Lilac queen honored to celebrate military

For Spokane native Halle Nelson, 17, attending the Lilac Festival parade has always been an eagerly anticipated rite of spring.

“The main reason I went was to see the princesses and the Lilac queen,” she said. “One year my best friend, my little sister and I got on the ground and did a pyramid to get the queen to wave at us!”

She laughed.

“We got the wave.”

This year she will be the one waving from the Spokane Lilac Festival 2018 Armed Forces Torchlight Parade float. Nelson was selected Lilac court queen during a coronation ceremony March 4.

While she’d long aspired to be part of the Lilac court, achieving that goal became even more important to her after her grandfather died in 2016.

“He loved the Lilac parade,” she said.

He was also a Vietnam War veteran and appreciated the way the Lilac Festival values and supports those who serve.

“My grandfather was my biggest role model. He taught me how important it is to honor and celebrate the military,” said Nelson.

That’s why one of her favorite experiences thus far, was when she and other Lilac Festival school representatives visited patients at the Spokane VA Medical Center – a place where her grandfather had spent some time.

“Their faces lit up. They wanted to talk to us for hours, and we wanted to be there for hours,” she said.

Her speech at the coronation event focused on leadership.

“I’ve always been a leader,” Nelson said. “In kindergarten I was line leader for a week, and I always made sure my line was straight. I was on top of it.”

She served on the student council during middle school and is ASB vice president at North Central High School.

Being called bossy doesn’t faze her a bit.

“It just means you know what you want. You’re directed and can direct others,” she said.

However, she noted that when she’s called “bossy” or a “know-it-all,” boys would likely be called “determined.”

Nelson is no slouch academically. She’s a distinguished valedictorian, meaning she’s maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. Impressive, because her coursework included 12 AP classes and three honors classes.

She said her favorite subject would surprise her middle school self.

“I love science. In middle school I hated it.”

At North Central she said she learned that real science isn’t just doing labs to achieve a desired outcome.

“True science is all about persistence, ingenuity and discovery,” she said. “Persistence is the key to science.”

Nelson hopes to become a doctor and focus on oncology.

“I’ve known I wanted to be a doctor since I was a child,” she said. “I want to pursue a career where I can help people every day.”

She has not decided where she will attend college, but said the scholarship money she has received from the Spokane Lilac Association will be helpful. This year the association awarded more than $17,000 in scholarships.

Travel also appeals to this energetic student. She’s taken five years of Spanish, and is considering a Spanish minor in college.

“I’m really interested in other cultures,” she said.

In addition to her studies and leadership activities, Nelson has been a varsity cheerleader throughout her high school career.

“I love supporting my school, but at the competitive level cheer is more about your athletic ability,” she said. “I like competitive cheerleading. We went to nationals this year, and we placed fourth in state this year.”

When it’s time for fun and relaxation, Nelson said she likes to hang out with her friends at church youth group or go out for coffee and some thrift store shopping.

She believes the future looks bright for bossy girls like herself, and said the Lilac royalty program is about empowering leaders.

“There’s still work to be done, but we have so many more opportunities than ever,” said Nelson. “Women have revolutionized their roles as leaders. I’m not afraid to stand out and be who I am, a leader.”