With smiles, hugs and roses, seven local students were chosen Monday morning as the Rose Court for the 138th Rose Parade, selected from a pool of finalists representing schools across the Pasadena area.
Tournament of Roses President Terry Madigan announced the seven members at a ceremony at Pasadena’s Tournament House. Prior to the announcement, 27 finalists were introduced each holding a single rose emerging from the Tournament House on a red carpet to cheers from more than 100 gathered family and friends.
Madigan read out the names of the 2027 Rose Court from individual envelopes starting with the school, applicant number and name. They each walked down a short flight of stairs and handed a large bouquet of roses.
The young women chosen:
— Evita Bridge, Mayfield Senior School;
–Tessa Choi, La Cañada High;
–Daniela Guzman, Arcadia High;
–Irene Maddox, Eagle Rock High;
–Maria Teresa McDonald, Thurgood Marshall Secondary School;
–Elizabeth Rweyemamu, Polytechnic School; and
–Lucy Wendling, San Marino High School
They are now part of a tradition that has lasted generations.
Maddox covered her mouth in shock when Madigan said the words “Eagle Rock High School,” right before her name.
Maddox said she’s the first Eagle Rock High School student on the Rose Court since the 1960s and proud to represent her school and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
“It’s a very large school district,” Maddox said. “I would really encourage everyone to get involved in their community,” Maddox said. “Try to make an impact on your community. One person can make a huge difference.”
Wendling waited until she heard her name and then said it over again in her head before fully experiencing the excitement of being selected. The San Marino High School senior called it surreal to be named to the Rose Court.
“This round I came in really open minded and I just felt very grateful to be here,” Wendling said. “There’s 27 lovely ladies who are just as capable and just walking in and seeing the community and people that gather just to come out to see us, really grateful is what I was feeling.”
In a nod to the upcoming parade’s theme, Madigan welcomed the 2027 Rose Court to the Tournament of Roses family.
“As ambassadors for our beloved events these remarkable young women will share with the world the sense of hope, joy and endless possibilities that we celebrate here in Pasadena on Jan.1,” Madigan said.
The seven members of the 2027 Rose Court — each of whom now received a $7,500 academic scholarship — will serve as the Tournament Roses’ ambassadors throughout parade season. That means they’ll engage in community events leading up to the Jan. 1 parade, where they’ll ride on their own float.
One of the seven will be chosen in October as the Rose Queen.
They came from an applicant pool that represented 41 Pasadena-area schools. They engaged in a month-long selection process that was first narrowed down to the final 27 applicants earlier this month.
That process included a series of interviews with judges, looking for qualities that included public speaking ability, youth leadership, academic achievement, and community and school involvement.
The 27 finalists from which the court was chosen were Madeline Wong, Ksheeraja Chilkepalli and Daniela Guzman of Arcadia High School; Allison DeMesa and Eula Johnson of La Salle College Preparatory; Clare Vitt, Zoe Chen and Isabelle Whiting of South Pasadena High School; and Karina Toro, Leilah Robertson and Viviana Leyva of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy.
Also selected as finalists were Isabella Roberts and Moira Taylor of Pasadena High School; Evita Bridge and Mary Martin of Mayfield Senior School; Lucy Wendling, Marloe Vaughan Lower and Sarah Esbenshade of San Marino High School; Mia Goonetilleke and Elizabeth Rweyemamu of Polytechnic School; and Tessa Choi, Piper Ku and Caroline Kelly of La Cañada High School.
Rounding out the finalists are Angelina Yip of Mark Keppel High School; Maria Teresa McDonald of Thurgood Marshall Secondary School; Irene Maddox of Eagle Rock High School; Marcel Hazelton of John Muir High School; and Madeline Smith of Maranatha High School.
In 1905, Hallie Woods became the very first Rose Queen, but the selection process did not become an annual tradition until 1930.
Members of the Tournament of Roses’ Queen & Court Committee made the selections based on criteria including academic achievement, community and school involvement, public speaking ability and youth leadership.
The 2027 Rose Court will ride along Colorado Boulevard in the 138th Rose Parade and attend the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the 113th Rose Bowl Game, both scheduled for Jan. 1.
This year’s Rose Parade theme is “Welcome.”
City News Service contributed to this report