Cherokee Purviance, a 19-year old native of Alliance, Nebraska, hopes to inspire children and adults alike when she competes this week at the 2019 Miss Nebraska competition. Cherokee, crowned Miss Fur Trade Days in November, suffers from dyslexia, and is on a mission to spread awareness about the disorder affecting an estimated 43.5 million Americans.

As Miss Fur Trade Days, Cherokee has visited schools and groups throughout Chadron for the last several months. She is also an accomplished pianist and performer, winning the Alliance Stars of Tomorrow competition and numerous awards as a contestant in the Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen program. If Cherokee is crowned Miss Nebraska 2019, she will take her personal platform of service across the state and beyond, and share her message at the 2020 Miss America competition broadcast live on NBC.

The Miss Nebraska Scholarship competition will be held June 2-8 in North Platte, Nebraska, where candidates are eligible for more than $70,000 in prize packages and an estimated $1.4 million in in-kind college scholarships. Tickets are available for the event, which will also be streamed live online, at www.MissNebraska.org.