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NEDERLAND — Evei Shipley is on the path to be a voice for others.

From her work as a Foster Care Companion and volunteer with Adaptive Sports for Kids to lending her sailing skills to teach youth about the sport, Shipley is taking steps toward her future.

“I want to be a family law attorney like my mom and a voice and advocate for kids,” Shipley said.

Shipley, 17, has been working as a Foster Care Companion for five years.

She said a lot of times the girls at Girls Haven don’t have necessities such as underwear, shoes or deodorant, so her and her mother donate these needed items.

The girls who receive the donations look up to her, which she sees as an accomplishment.

“And I just like putting a smile on people’s faces. I think that’s the most rewarding thing,” she said.

Shipley is a junior at Nederland High School and earlier this month was crowned the 50^th Miss Nederland.

Her list of community service and other activities is long. Besides the Foster Care Companion and volunteering with Adaptive Sports for Kids, Shipley was named Junior Sailor of the Year at Port Arthur Yacht Club and taught sailing to youth. She earned the Face of Muzzie’s Award, has been on Student Council for seven years, is on the A-B honor roll, is a lifeguard and takes part in golf and track.

Teacher Whitney Wolf called her an absolute joy to have in class.

“She is very outgoing while still making everyone around her feel comfortable and included. She always strives for excellence in understanding assignments and maintaining a high (grade point average),” Wolf said.

Teacher Celine Hodge called her a pleasure to have in class.

“Her bubbly personality, aptitude for the language and drive contribute to a collegial and productive learning environment,” Hodge said.

Golf Coach Anney Montalvo also offered kudos, saying that Shipley is a third-year golfer.

“I call her my social butterfly on the course,” Montalvo said. “Her personality is something that is really special about her, and she never lets anything get to her. Always happy.”

Teacher Whitney Fowler commended Shipley for her positive outlook when faced with challenges.

“She’s resilient in every aspect of her life,” Fowler said. “Evei also works hard to do her best in every aspect of her academics and extracurricular activities.”

Academics are important to the queen. She is enrolled in AP courses and is co-enrolled at Lamar State College Port Arthur.

She hopes to study abroad, preferably in Greece or Italy, she said. If not, she would like to attend Baylor University or Texas A&M.

The idea of studying abroad may have come from her love of travel. She plans to visit Costa Rica in the spring and has traveled to Jamaica, Italy, Mexico and Canada.

When Shipley was named Miss Nederland, she said her heart dropped. At that time all she could think about was she was the 50^th Miss Nederland. Her sister Lilei Shipley was queen in 2020.

While she will have her crown for a year, she would like to do something for her legacy to live on — plant tulips.

Her target areas include city hall, the windmill and the police station — places where people will see them, she said.

When the tulips bloom they will be a reminder of her reign as queen.

Shipley is the daughter of Jolei Shipley and Terry Shipley.