The third time was a charm for Emma Pedersen.
On Tuesday (Aug. 23), in her third attempt, the Squamish teenager won the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Star Showdown. For her winning rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, the 18-year-old left the stage with a cheque for $5,000. She's also heading to London, Ont., where she will represent 小蓝视频 at the Canadian Youth Talent Competition at Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions' annual conference in November.
In an email to The Chief, Pedersen's mother Sue wrote that Emma plans to put the money toward her tuition at Sheridan College - the only college in Canada that grants musical theatre degrees.
"We are so pleased for her and excited to look forward to a national competition," Sue wrote.
The Howe Sound Secondary School (HSSS) graduate is known around town for her various parts in local theatre productions. Last year, she was the lead in All Shook Up, the HSSS production that packed Eagle Eye Theatre. Pedersen is also a staple at the Test of Metal mountain bike race singing the national anthem and recently sang O Canada at this year's Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival.
