‘I have not done enough’

Outgoing Miss Western Teen embraced year of wearing crown

TUBA CITY

Shalby Del Villar says she is going to miss the title of Miss Western Navajo Teen, the crown she not only wore but conquered.

“I’m going to miss having a crown on my head,” said Del Villar, the outgoing Miss Western Navajo Teen, who passed the crown to 17-year-old Maegan Dougi last Wednesday night, “but having a crown on my head wasn’t all I liked.”

Wearing the crown, Del Villar, 17, says she made too many memories, lifelong friendships, and went on exciting adventures that all started at the 48th annual Western Navajo Fair last year when her childhood dream came true.

“But for some reason I feel like I have not done enough,” Del Villar said. “I feel like there’s still much more for me to do and to encounter.”

Since she became Miss Western Navajo Teen, Del Villar has traveled across the Navajo Nation (something she says she always wanted to do), attended events throughout the region, empathized with the youth, translated English-written songs into Navajo, learned new cultures and, last but not least, grown into a young woman.

“I was also able to become more sociable,” Del Villar said. “I’m not afraid to talk, to stand my ground and know what I’m going to do. But I never thought I’d be royalty and become a role model to others.”

For one year, Del Villar lived her life as a role model.

“When you do that you bring out motivation,” she said. “You bring out the self-confidence in young people … you bring out laughter, the joy from their heart. You send them a message saying that you care by talking to them either individually or as a group during class time.”

She added that she is going to miss the title of Miss Western Navajo Teen. Though she will not have a crown, this is not where her leadership and learning will end.

“I’m going to learn more of the Navajo language than what I already know,” she said. “I’m going to learn new songs and create some of my own. I will always be myself.”

Del Villar says it was tough for her to pass down her title because it made a tremendous impact on her life. She held back tears and struggled to announce Dougi as the new titleholder last Wednesday.

“It’s hard for me to give up this title,” she said in tears, “because it’s one I grew with. I had one tough but amazing, outstanding year. I’m not going to lie, being Miss Western Navajo Teen isn’t just given to you, you have to figure it out yourself. And it is tough, but I managed to get it done.”

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