By Shiloh Appel
On November 11th, 2018, 14 year old Macie Luce, of Wolsey, was voted Miss Redfield Area Junior Snow Queen. Luce went on to compete in the South Dakota State Jr. Snow Queen contest in Aberdeen, and, nearly  two full months later, on January 5th, 2019, after many weeks of practice, she won that title as well.
"It was indescribable. I couldn't believe it at first, but I worked super hard for it," said Luce. "I actually practiced with former Snow Queen people from around the state over the phone. They put in the State Snow Queen papers that we could practice with them, so I practiced with a girl named Caitlyn O'Neil [sp.] and she gave me tips. We did a mock interview and I just kept practicing and practicing with her and I guess it worked.  I was just really, really happy because all of my hard work paid off."
With Jr. Snow Queen and Senior Snow Queen candidates from across the state all vying for the crown, the Aberdeen Civic Center was abuzz with anticipation for the largest Winter Festival in the state last Saturday.

"I was just super, super nervous and I didn't really know what to think," said Luce, explaining her feelings leading up to the moment she was crowned."I knew that whoever won greatly deserved it, because all of them are so talented."
The contest was a "two-day deal," according to Luce. All of the girls arrived on Friday to meet each other and spend time together. They practiced their pageant walks, played games, and attended the NAHL hockey match between the Aberdeen Wings and the Bismarck Bobcats.
"It was a day of, 'Hey, we are going to have fun and we are going to get to know you'," said Luce."I made a lot friends during the Snow Queen contest. Some of them I don't even remember their name. There is just so many of them. They are all so kind and they make you feel like you are at home. But the closest friend that I had was from Mobridge. She was just so awesome."
Going forward as the new South Dakota Jr. Snow Queen, Luce's schedule will be very busy this year. In addition to attending the Queen's and Sponsors Banquet and Ball that was held on January 11th and Coronation on the 12th at the Aberdeen Civic Center, Luce will appear at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the Minneapolis Aquatennial, Montevideo Fiesta Days, Willmar Fest, Anoka Halloween Festival, and Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg, Canada, among others.
"I have two ambassadors. They are both a married couple and this is like their third year doing it, so it will be really nice having them organize all of my events. They also organize all of my clothes, like what I wear and stuff," said Luce."So it's really nice."
Luce said she hopes to use this experience as the new South Dakota Jr. Snow Queen to her advantage in public speaking.
"I am going to be speaking in front of a lot of people, so this is really going to help me in the future," she said. "That is what I want to do, is talk in front of people, so this really helps bring me confidence."
Luce said that, so far, she has enjoyed meeting new people and hearing their stories the most. She is also looking forward to "going to parties and meeting little girls" and making lifelong friendships.
"I am really grateful that I went out for Snow Queen and super glad that I did it in Redfield. I am glad for all of the support that I am getting and I highly recommend anyone that wants to do Snow Queen to do it, because it is an amazing opportunity," said Luce. " You learn more about yourself. The more you put yourself out there and try new things, the more you are confident in yourself, and I think that if you have confidence, you can do almost anything that you want to do."
Luce plays volleyball and basketball at Wolsey-Wessington High School and runs track. She enjoys spending time at Byron Bible Camp and volunteering in the nursery at her local church. She hopes to someday attend Northern State University to become a Kindergarten teacher.