This Nova Scotia teen is a ‘Princess with a Purpose’

15-year-old Sydney Chediac combines fairytales and philanthropy – to raise money for local charities.

Sydney Chediac founded “Princess with a Purpose” at just 15 years old in an effort to make kids ' fairytale dreams come true and give back to the community.

“I have three little sisters; I have a lot of experience with having party princesses in and out of my house since I was little, says Chediac. “I was just thinking that would be my dream job. I think that’s like my ideal lifestyle.”

Chediac sings, plays and entertains kids at events, schools and parties.

“Seeing little kids just get so excited to see me and asking all these questions, ‘Are you a princess? I love your dress.’ It just fills my heart,” says Chediac.

She just finished her high school exams and thought now was the perfect time to start her initiative.

“I did a little event here at Sacred Heart, I made an appearance at the Cedarfest Lebanese festival. Those were my first two appearances. My Instagram presence has been going on for a couple months now,” says Chediac.

As a student at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, it made sense for Chediac’s first event to take place there.

“On any given day you will hear Sydney singing, and she’s a great performer at our musicals so it’s a natural fit for her to work with children and raise money for a great cause,” says principal Wallace Macaskill.

Macaskill is impressed with Chediac’s initiative and believes she is representing their school and mission well.

“This is a good news story and it’s an example to everybody within Nova Scotia that good things can be done and she has great talent and she is using her talent for good. So, we are really proud of her,” says Macaskill.

Chediac’s initiative is a non-profit. Everything she makes goes to local charities.

“We picked IWK first for a couple main reasons. I mean it’s such a cornerstone for our community. I know all my sisters and I were born in the IWK and it helped so many of my family members, says Chediac. “When my mom was having me, I know she had a hard labour and both her and myself were admitted into the IWK so it just felt like for the first charity, a natural choice.”

Her goal is to continue to grow ‘Princess with a Purpose,’ with hopes of gaining more of a following on social media, which in turn will allow her to help more people. She’d like to eventually expand her team to bring youth on board to get involved.

“I have a lot of academic aspirations; I want to go into law down the line. I can see myself doing Princess With a Purpose, I think, well into my academic career, well into university. I want to do it for as long as I can before I have to become a serious adult,” says Chediac.

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