Charlotte Amalie High School junior Hadiya Hazel was recently named the 2014 junior tourism commissioner, the Tourism Department announced Wednesday in a press release. She competed against three other juniors from the territory to represent the Virgin Islands at the annual Tourism Youth Congress in mid-September at the Caribbean Tourism Organizations’ State of the Industry Conference on St. Thomas.

"It is a refreshing new experience for me and I love to try new things," Hazel said. "I believe that this is an honorable position that will enable me to become more involved in my community and the tourism industry."

Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty congratulated Hazel on her success and said she was confident that Hazel “will do a superb job of representing the USVI in the regional competition this fall."

Hazel plans to attend the University of the Virgin Islands to study forensic science.

Other participants included Holly Ann Forde of St. Croix Seventh Day Adventist School, Sabreen Khalid of AZ Academy and Jahkeema Petersen of the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School.

The Junior Tourism Commissioner Competition was developed by the CTO to introduce Caribbean students to the fundamental role of tourism in the economic development of their countries.