Rose Court dreams come true for 7 young women
With all the fanfare and trappings of a royal announcement, Tournament of Roses officials on Monday named the seven young women who will comprise the 2012 Rose Court.
Against the backdrop of excited screams from family and friends and music from the Tournament of Roses Honor Band, the organization’s president, Rick Jackson, made the dreams of seven finalists a reality.
The Rose Court Princesses include: Hanan Worku of Pasadena High School; Morgan Devaud of La Cañada High School; Drew Washington of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy; Kimberly Ostiller of Flintridge Preparatory School; Cynthia Louie of LaSalle High School; Stephanie Hynes of Maranatha High School; and Sarah Zuno, Benjamin Franklin High School.
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FOR THE RECORD: This corrects an earlier version that did not include Sarah Zuno from Benjamin Franklin High School as one of the finalists.
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The seven young women were announced after all 34 finalists stood together one last time in the backyard of the Tournament House in Pasadena.
The senior class of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, along with the school’s volleyball team, screamed with joy, shouting, “Drew!” when they heard Drew Washington’s name.
Drew, a Pasadena resident, is their team captain. To support her, volleyball player Katherine Rubschlager held a sign written in purple marker, “# 265 is my best friend.”
“She’s talked about it forever,” Katherine said. “She’s always wanted it.”
Standing beside her fellow princesses, each holding a bouquet of red roses, Drew said the outcome came as a shock.
“Right now, I’m just overwhelmed and I’m in shock,” she said
Kimberly Ostiller was again wearing her lucky pink dress. She first wore the dress at her brother’s high school graduation, a happy occasion that she said led her to select it for the first of four interview sessions with the judges.
As she continued to pass each tryout, she continued to show up in the same lucky dress.
“I bought a dress last night, but I’m taking it back to Nordstrom,” she said. “I know this dress — it got me so far — I should just keep it.”
Morgan Devaud woke up Monday morning a little nervous, she said.
“To be honest, I knew there was nothing I could do at this point. I just found it such an accomplishment to be a part of the final 34,” she said, adding that her mom was the one “who was screaming really loud. That was her.”
For as much work as the princesses did to make it to the final seven, the announcement on Monday sets the stage for a grueling promotional schedule. The Rose Court will spend the next two months making roughly 150 appearances as representatives of the Tournament of Roses.
The Rose Queen will be announced at a ceremony on Oct. 18.