Chelsea Lavallee is no stranger to winning awards for the passion she displays in promoting her Métis culture.

In 2005, Lavallee was crowned Métis Miss Teen Manitoba. She’s also been the recipient of the 2006 National Métis Youth Role Model Award, the 2007 Manitoba Aboriginal Youth Achievement Award and the 2007 National Aboriginal Role Model Award, presented to her by Governor General Michaëlle Jean.

But now Lavallee can proudly say that she’s the youngest aboriginal to receive a coveted National Aboriginal Achievement Award. And all it took was doing the things she loves.

“It’s a really big honour because I’m getting recognized for doing the things I love doing,” Lavallee said over the phone from her country home. “I’m really happy that I was recognized for things that I’ve accomplished in my life. It’s really special.”

Lavallee, a 17-year-old student from St. Ambroise, was one of three Manitobans to receive a 2009 National Aboriginal Achievement Award, a celebration of accomplishments by members of Canada’s aboriginal community.

Lavallee was the recipient of the Special Youth Award, for her outstanding contributions to the community promoting her Métis heritage.

Lavallee is an active member of her small community, just 94 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Aside from square-dancing with the St. Ambroise Youth Steppers, she finds time to volunteer, teaching the traditional Métis jig to youth in her community, helps out with the Métis and Saskatoon festivals, and works as a youth reporter for the Manitoba Métis Federation Southwest Region Youth Network.

“Living Métis is how I live,” Lavallee said. “It’s how I was raised and it’s how I celebrate. I live in a Métis community and they live Métis too. I just help carry it on.”

Lavallee says her win is important and hopes it will inspire other aboriginal youth to get involved in promoting their heritage and culture.

“It’s important because you have to keep your traditions going for future generations so it won’t go away,” Lavallee said.

In honour of her accomplishments, Lavallee received a medallion, a glass trophy and $10,000, which she said she’s going to use to pay for school. Lavallee is awaiting her acceptance letter from the University of Manitoba. She doesn’t know what she wants to do yet, but will be testing the waters of University 1 classes.

“I’m just going to go to school and find out what I want to do and from there we’ll see happens.”

Lavallee’s father, Wilf, is understandably proud.

“She’s being recognized for things she likes to do,” he said. “She promotes things that unify the community and celebrate who we are as Métis people. Its not that she’s doing anything out of the ordinary, she’s just really involved. The opportunity for her to be recognized for that is really special.”

Wilf hopes she cherishes her win.

“Having the opportunity to meet with other recipients is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us,” he said. “It’s not everyday you get to meet other aboriginal people that have done so well and are being recognized.”