Royalty scholarship pageant resets for March 14

By Matthew Nash • March 6, 2019 1:30 am
This year’s Sequim Irrigation Festival royalty candidates, from left, Erin Rosengren, Ana Benitez, Kjirstin Foresman, Emily Silva, Brianna Cowan and Shelby Wells find some warmth inside the Sequim High School greenhouses leading up to their March 14th Scholarship Pageant after snow postponed their show in February. Four of the girls will be chosen to represent Sequim for the next year. See A-4. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
This year’s Sequim Irrigation Festival royalty candidates, from left, Erin Rosengren, Ana Benitez, Kjirstin Foresman, Emily Silva, Brianna Cowan and Shelby Wells find some warmth inside the Sequim High School greenhouses leading up to their March 14th Scholarship Pageant after snow postponed their show in February. Four of the girls will be chosen to represent Sequim for the next year. See A-4. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim Irrigation Festival Royalty Pageant

When: 6 p.m. Thursday, March 14 (rescheduled)

Where: Sequim High School Auditorium, 533 N. Sequim Ave.

Tickets: $10 adults, $5 for 12 and younger

Tickets available: First Federal Sequim Avenue branch, and at door

Pageant hosts: Guy Horton, 2017 festival queen Karla Najera

The contestants are the same, the show is the same. It’s just at a new day for the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s annual Royalty Pageant.

Like dozens of events postponed because of last month’s heavy snow, organizers reset the pageant for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at the Sequim High auditorium.

This year’s contestants include: Ana Benitez, sponsored by YMCA of the Olympic Peninsula; Brianna Cowan, sponsored by Sanford Irrigation; Kjirstin Foresman, sponsored by Blue Sky Property Management; Erin Rosengren, sponsored by Sunny Farms Country Store; Emily Silva, sponsored by Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County, and Shelby Wells, sponsored by Sound Community Bank.

They compete for four spots by presenting creative displays, answering impromptu questions and more to win a chance to represent Sequim in festivals and events for a year with the queen receiving a $1,250 college scholarship and each princess $750 in scholarships.

Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger, and are still available in advance at First Federal’s Sequim Avenue branch, and at the show’s doors.

The Sequim Irrigation Festival celebrates its 124th year May 3-12 with the tagline “There’s no Place like Home.” Read about more upcoming events at www.irrigation festival.com.

Ana Benitez

For her creative display, Ana will show and discuss how she made a pair of pants. If chosen for court, her platform will focus on family health, likely through the YMCA.

Ana said she wants to be on the royalty court because she’s seen how it’s impacted past royalty members and given them good life skills.

“I was a very introverted person and I would like to change that and become more social,” she said.

Brianna Cowan

For her creative display, Brianna will share and teach a cheer. If chosen for the court, she wants to support Beyond Type 1, an organization that empowers other Type 1 diabetics to have strength, courage and support.

Brianna said she wants to be on the royalty court because she’s always looked up to past royalty.

“They’ve made a big impact on my life, and I’d hope to make an impact on other children’s lives,” she said.

Kjirstin Foresman

For the pageant, Kjirstin plans to play music on the xylophone. She said that if she’s selected for the royalty court she’s chosen to help foster children on the peninsula as her platform.

Kjirstin wants to be on the court because she enjoys meeting with people.

“I don’t get nervous, and I’m good at connecting with people,” she said. “This will also be a good opportunity to get more immersed in Sequim since I haven’t lived here my whole life.”

Erin Rosengren

For Erin’s creative display, she plans to share a Native American dance she learned from her mom. If selected, her platform will support autism awareness because she and two of siblings have autism.

Erin said she wants to be on the royalty court because she’s always wanted to try new things.

Emily Silva

For the pageant, Emily plans to present on running for her creative display. If she’s selected to be a royal, she hopes to bring awareness to breast cancer research because she lost her grandmother before she was born to the disease.

As for why she wants to be on the court, Emily said her mom Julianne Coonts was queen of the court one year and she’s “always looked up to her.”

“If I was able to become a royal, I know it would make my mom proud,” she said.

Shelby Wells

For the pageant, Shelby plans to play on acoustic guitar and sing. If selected to the court, she plans to support the Welfare for Animals Guild in some capacity because she appreciates WAG’s effort to save local dogs.

Shelby said she’s gone to every Grand Parade since she can remember and is running for the court because “I’ve always looked up to the girls running for the court.”

“They’ve been huge role models in my life,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be a princess, and make a difference.”

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.