La Cañada students among 44 Royal Court finalists

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Forty-four finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court were picked from more than 800 participants, at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. Five local participants from La Canada High School are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Gwendalynn Stilson, senior from La Canada High School, second from right, is one of 44 finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The 44 young women were picked from more than 800 participants. Five local participants from La Canada High School are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Rucha Kadam, senior from La Canada High School, is one of 44 finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court, at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The 44 young women were picked from more than 800 participants. Five local participants from La Canada High School are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Julia Bridges, left, and Natalia Talleda, right, both seniors from La Canada High School, are finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. Forty-four young women were picked from more than 800 participants. Five local participants from La Canada High School are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Emily Truong, senior from La Canada High School, is one of 44 finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The 44 young women were picked from more than 800 participants. Five local participants from La Canada High School are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Forty-four finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court, including #185 Steviana Perry from San Marino High School, were picked from more than 800 participants, at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. Five local participants from La Canada High School are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Alyssa Cole, #107 from Flintridge Sacred heart Academy, is one of 44 finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The 44 young women were picked from more than 800 participants. Eight local participants are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Gwendalynn Stilson, senior from La Canada High School, is one of 44 finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The 44 young women were picked from more than 800 participants. Five local participants from La Canada High School are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Helen Rossi, #059, from Flintridge Prep, is one of 44 finalists for the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Royal Court at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The 44 young women were picked from more than 800 participants. Eight local participants are in the group of finalists. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

By Jessica Martinez

Los Angeles Times

Sept. 26, 2018 6:25 PM PT

The 2019 Tournament of Roses Royal Court pool of 44 finalists has no shortage of La Cañada representation: Eight attend school in LCF and several others attend schools nearby.

La Cañada High seniors Gwendalynn Stilson, Rucha Kadam, Julia Bridges, Natalia Talleda and Emily Truong were among the court finalists announced at Tournament House this afternoon.

Other local students include Helen Rossi, who attends Flintridge Prep; and Alyssa Cole and Caroline Finnegan, students at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy.

Also selected as finalists were Brook Acosta, Lily Brogdon-Mitchell, Caroline Ivankovich, Lauren Shain, Ashley Slocum, Sasha Torres, Elysee Vielma and Isabella Vinci from Mayfield Senior School; Sophie Blaisdell and McKenzie Minto from Polytechnic School; Lauren Baydaline and Micaela McElrath from Westridge School and Gabriela Tavera, Maranatha High School.

More are Faith van Haaster, Margaret Chang, Pourobee Saha, Linzi Qi and Helena Simpson, all of Arcadia High School; Katia Khanlian, who attends AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School; Briana Anderson, Ashley Hackett and Cynthia Hill of John Muir High School; Cecilia Trejo and Divine Johnson of Pasadena High School; KC Young of John Marshall Fundamental High School; and Katherine Choi, Sherry Ma and Steviana Perry of San Marino High School.

Rounding out the finalists are Audrey Sirois, Anaise Nugent, Sophie Woodman and Samantha Grijalva of a Salle High School; Sydné Piatek of Pasadena City College; Hope Ferguson of Temple City High School; Klarissa Barriga of Alverno Heights Academy; and Louise Siskel of Sequoyah High School.

About 800 young women attended the first round of tryouts earlier this month. Seven finalists will be named to the court on Oct. 1, while the 101st Rose Queen announcement will be on Oct. 23 at the Pasadena Playhouse.

The theme of the 2019 Rose Parade is “The Melody of Life.”