Miss Lake Chelan 2025

by Richard Uhlhorn

Congratulations to Daniella Ochoa, 2025 Miss Lake Chelan and her runner-up Miss Alexa Padilla.

The Miss Lake Chelan Scholarship Program began years ago and attracted numerous young junior high school girls to compete for a variety of scholarships. Over the years, the program diminished and almost disappeared. However, through the efforts of Lake Chelan Schools Director of Teaching and Learning, Ms. Tiffany Viall and her compatriot Jacquelynn Dalton, a local dance school owner, Miss Lake Chelan is being resurrected.

The scholarship program is designed to attract outstanding high school students who demonstrate excellence in all areas of their lives. Judging criteria focuses on scholastic achievements, community service, character, personality, creativity and intrapersonal skills.

This year’s event was held at the Lake Chelan School District’s meeting room and only parents and siblings were in attendance.

The girls are judged on each candidate’s speech (28%); an impromptu question (15%) and 57% when the candidates were interviewed by the panel of judges for 30 minutes. The judges were looking for each candidates presentation, clarity of expression, creativity and interpersonal communication skills.

This year’s judges were Andrea Gaven, owner of Corazon Core in Chelan, Debbie Edinger, a local entrepreneur working toward opening the Blu Lago Winery with her husband, Jim, and Alysha Ottrix, a former high fashion model who has moved to Chelan where she is busy with her own candle business.

Over the next year, royalty will be representing the Lake Chelan community at various community events and festivals.

The candidates:

Miss Alexa Padilla is a 16 year old junior at Lake Chelan High School with a passion for both academics and extracurricular activities. She is an active member of the Future Business Leaders of America and has participated in Chelan Project for three years. She is also active with concert and pep bands and the highly regarded marching band. She has also been a cheerleader.

She is involved with community activities and enjoys volunteering. Alexa is the third of four children and loved running with her older brother and enjoys supporting her younger brother at his sporting events.

Miss Daniela Ochoa Bernal moved to Chelan two years ago from the Tri-Cities. She comes from a music loving family of five.

Music is a central part of her life. She is a drummer for the jazz, pep and concert bands as well as her church.

Daniela enjoys engaging with people of all ages and is actively involved in school and community. She is an officer for Todos Unites and the Art Club. She is also a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and Future Farmers of America where she participates in Public Speaking on Orchard Safety. She is also a member of the high school tennis team.

Crowning:

2024 Miss Lake Chelan’s Chloe Desgroseillier was on hand to crown this year’s Miss Lake Chelan and told the assembled parents and siblings how much she enjoyed representing Chelan last year and wished the ladies well in representing the community.

She then crowned Daniela as Chelan’s 2025 Miss Lake Chelan and Alexa as her princess.

Both Tiffany and Jacquelynn are looking forward to guiding and helping the ladies through their yearly commitments and are excited to look forward to expanding the Miss Lake Chelan Program back to its former self.