Emma Pritchard
An enthusiastic and community-minded group of compassionate young ladies, Zaliah Burrows, Lilly Sullivan, Holly Cooper, Millie Lloyd, and Eliza Benfield are proud to officially introduce themselves as the 2023 Junior Jacaranda candidates.
As they commence their journeys as the youngest ambassadors and representatives of their local community, they are looking forward to sharing the spirit of the Jacaranda Festival with everyone around them.
Along with meeting new people and making plenty of new friends, Zaliah, Lilly, Holly, Millie, and Eliza, are also excited to be involved with Grafton’s most celebrated tradition as the countdown to the 2023 Jacaranda Festival gets underway.
Throughout the next couple of weeks, the Clarence Valley Independent will share specially prepared Q and A profiles on each of the 2023 Junior Jacaranda candidates with our readers.
Make sure you remember to pick up a copy of our newspaper every week.
Q and A with 2023 Junior Jacaranda candidate: Millie Lloyd
Millie is 13-years-old, and is a Year 8 student at Clarence Valley Anglican School.
She is proudly sponsored by Clarence Village.
How long have you lived in the Clarence Valley?
I have lived in the Clarence Valley (Coutts Crossing) my whole life.
What do you like about living here?
I like living in the Clarence Valley because my family and friends are all here. Also, the Clarence Valley is in a great location because its near beautiful beaches, rivers, and National Parks. There are wonderful local music shows and food to enjoy. I love how the Clarence Valley celebrates the different events, and how they bring the community together.
How do you spend your spare time?
In my spare time I like to do things such as reading (fictional novels of Greek mythology), cooking, riding my bike, and hanging out with my friends. I am also very active, being a member of several sporting organisations, including Coutts Crossing Tennis Club, McAuley Hockey, Grafton Physical Culture, and I also play basketball at the PCYC.
Why did you become a Junior Jacaranda candidate?
I nominated to be a Junior Jacaranda candidate to have the opportunity to become more involved with the community, make new friendships, learn new leadership skills, and pursue an ambition of being a Junior Jacaranda candidate. I was also inspired by my mum who was a Jacaranda Queen candidate in 1999.
What event during the Jacaranda Festival is special to you and why?
The March of Youth is a special event to me as I have had the privilege of representing my school, and presenting our banner to the community. I love how the school communities come together to show what Jacaranda means to them. The Jacaranda Children’s Party is also special to me, as that is where I was awarded the Jacaranda Party Princess title in 2019. These events are a great way to celebrate the Jacaranda Festival season.
What would it mean to you if you were chosen as Junior Jacaranda Queen, King, or Ambassador?
If I was selected as Junior Jacaranda Queen, I would be thrilled. It would be an honour to represent the youth and spirit of the Clarence Valley in my role of Junior Jacaranda Queen. It would also mean I would have accomplished my personal ambition and dream of becoming a Junior Jacaranda Queen.
Editorial kindly contributed.
Q and A with 2023 Junior Jacaranda candidate: Eliza Benfield
Eliza is 14 years old and is a Year 8 student at Grafton High School. She is proudly sponsored by Yamba Cinemas.
How long have you lived in the Clarence Valley?
14 Years, I was born in Grafton.
What do you like about living here?
The Clarence Valley has many great places. It has many sporting opportunities and events that are held here. It also has lots of friendly people, and my friends and family live here.
How do you spend your spare time?
I am a Corporal in the Army Cadets, and I love being part of the organisation.
I also enjoy volunteering in the community in various organisations.
I am a very sporty person and I enjoy many sports including soccer, cricket, swimming, surfing, canoeing, abseiling, and dragon boat racing.
I enjoy being surrounded by nature, and I have my scuba diving license and I like camping, bush survival skills, navigation, and riding motorbikes.
Why did you become a Junior Jacaranda candidate?
For the past few years, I have been heavily involved with the Jacaranda Festival as an Army Cadet.
We volunteer and assist with many events including the Jacaranda Ball, Jacaranda Thursday, the Parade of Youth, Fun Run, and setting up Market Square.
I have seen a side of the festival that inspired me to enter and challenge myself and enjoy this opportunity whilst doing something good for the community, and hopefully be a role model to others.
What event during the Jacaranda Festival is special to you and why?
Whilst I enjoy all the events of the Jacaranda Festival, I love Jacaranda Thursday.
I like helping set up the Army Cadets recruiting stand, walking around the markets, being with friends, and watching the performances on stage.
It is a great atmosphere with showbags, dagwood dogs, rides, and lots of people enjoying themselves.
It is great to see the community come together and have fun.
What would it mean to you if you were chosen as the Junior Jacaranda Queen, King, or Ambassador?
I would be honoured to be chosen as the Junior Jacaranda Queen for 2023.
This would be a huge achievement and something I would remember for the rest of my life.
It would mean I could become a role model to others and encourage more candidates to enter next year and prove to myself I can achieve the goals I set for myself.
Being a representative of the Clarence Valley would be a privilege, and regardless of the outcome, it will be an awesome opportunity to be more involved with the festival and do more volunteering in the community.
Editorial kindly contributed.
Q and A with 2023 Junior Jacaranda candidate: Zaliah Burrows
Zaliah is 12 years old and is a Year 7 student at Grafton High School.
She is proudly sponsored by Hair Hub and Co.
How long have you lived in the Clarence Valley?
I was born in the Clarence Valley and have lived in the Clarence Valley for 12 years.
What do you like about living here?
I enjoy living in the Clarence Valley because there are lots of beautiful places to explore.
I love that our community is so friendly, and everyone comes together when needed.
How do you spend your spare time?
I enjoy hanging out with my friends, dancing, drawing, playing soccer, being outdoors, and fuelling my love for adventuring to different places.
Why did you become a Junior Jacaranda candidate?
I decided to take part in becoming a Junior Jacaranda candidate to be more involved in our community, and to learn more about the Jacaranda Festival.
Watching previous candidates grow throughout their Jacaranda journeys has inspired me, and I would love to inspire others to become candidates.
I am excited to make new friends, grow in confidence, and have fun.
What event during the Jacaranda Festival is special to you and why?
Jacaranda Thursday is special to me because I have fond memories of my family celebrating Jacaranda Thursday together that I will forever hold onto throughout each Jacaranda Festival.
I also love going on the Ferris wheel.
What would it mean to you if you were chosen as Junior Jacaranda Queen, King, or Ambassador?
It would mean the world to me if I was chosen to be the Junior Jacaranda Queen as it would give me the opportunity to inspire people to be part of Jacaranda just like I was inspired.
I hope it will show others that you can do whatever you want when you put your mind to it, and to be able to show the community the hard work I have put into the Jacaranda Festival for 2023.
Editorial kindly contributed.
Q and A with 2023 Junior Jacaranda candidate: Lilly Sullivan
Lilly is 12 years old and is a Year 7 student at McAuley Catholic College. She is proudly sponsored by Ashley Albert Performing Arts.
How long have you lived in the Clarence Valley?
I have lived in Grafton my whole life, as have my family.
What do you like about living here?
I like living in the Clarence Valley because it’s home.
I love that we aren’t too far from some beautiful beaches, we can attend some of the best community activities, we have lots of options for sports and can catch the school bus to town, but my favourite thing about living here is the kindness, support, and friendships we show each other in the community.
How do you spend your spare time?
I don’t get much spare time because my three sisters and I play and attend a lot of sports during the week, but when I do get free time I like bike riding, dancing, swimming, netball, helping the little kids at soccer, and going on adventures with my family and friends.
Family time is always my favourite, especially with my mum.
We have so many laughs that sometimes we cry.
Why did you become a Junior Jacaranda candidate?
I decided to nominate because since I was little, I have always wanted to be one, and with every year it just gets more exciting.
I have always wanted to be more involved and learn as much as I can about my community.
I hope that by running, I can inspire other people to try something new, and I hope to make some lifelong friends, create some amazing memories, and just have the best time in the world.
What event during the Jacaranda Festival is special to you and why?
It is hard to choose just one event!
I would have to say crowning night.
I love watching the dancing, and the candidates walking along the purple carpet.
The floats also come to mind.
I love being a part of it, whether it was to dance on a float for Ashley Albert Performing Arts or walk the streets handing out presents to everyone for netball.
I also enjoy Jacaranda Thursday because it brings my family and friends together.
My friends and I all wear matching skirts, take our yearly group photo, and have the best day ever.
It’s a tradition that I hope lasts forever.
What would it mean to you if you were chosen as the 2023 Junior Jacaranda Queen, King or Ambassador?
It would be very special to me because I stepped out of my comfort zone, tried my best, and was very lucky to get this far.
I would be very grateful and proud.
Editorial kindly contributed.
Q and A with 2023 Junior Jacaranda candidate: Holly Cooper
Holly is 14-years-old, and is a Year 8 student at McAuley Catholic College.
She is proudly sponsored by Clarence River Dance Academy.
How long have you lived in the Clarence Valley?
I have lived in Grafton my entire life. I was born at Grafton Base Hospital (GBH).
What do you like about living here?
I have the most amazing friends and family that live here. I enjoy visiting the National Parks and stunning beaches, and I love the Clarence River. The thing I love the most about living in Grafton is our Jacaranda Festival.
How do you spend your spare time?
I spend a lot of my spare time at Clarence River Dance Academy doing dance exams, rehearsals, performances at local and interstate eisteddfods and concerts, as well as attending drama classes. I assist teaching the younger students ballet classes. I love running with my Border Collie called Buddy, and training him in obedience and agility. I love spending time with my family and friends, picnicking, water skiing, knee boarding, and spending a day at the beach.
Why did you become a Junior Jacaranda candidate?
In 2014 I was honoured to be a Cape Maid, and I remember that was the moment I decided that when I was old enough, I would become a Junior Jacaranda candidate. I feel this once in a lifetime opportunity will help me improve my self-esteem and confidence, and develop my public speaking, leadership, and social skills. I look forward to meeting new people, learning more about the Jacaranda Festival, and experiencing what goes on behind the scenes. I hope to make lifelong friendships with all the candidates.
What event during the Jacaranda Festival is special to you and why?
I have many fond memories of the floats, helping to design and make props with my dad, and spending time with my family and friends decorating the truck. In 2016 I entered the Jacaranda busking competition. I loved it so much, and in 2017 I decided to do more busking. I also look forward to dancing each year at the Venetian Carnival. I love the fireworks and the excitement. I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends. But the event that is closest to my heart is the Crowning ceremony. I go each year with my family and friends, and it is pure magic. I also love getting fairy floss and going on the Ferris wheel.
What would it mean to you if you were chosen as the Junior Jacaranda Queen, King, or Ambassador?
I would be the happiest girl alive. I would feel so proud and excited to be chosen, and all my dreams would have come true. I would feel so honoured to hold this title. The privilege that it holds to be a role model and represent Grafton, my hometown, that I am so proud of and adore, would be amazing.
Editorial kindly contributed.