Q&A with Lincoln’s Rose Princess
The four candidates for Lincoln’s Rose Princess pose in Room 169 following the crowning of Anya Anand as Lincoln’s 2020 Rose Princess. Candidates from left to right: Natalia Bermudez, Kylie ones, Anya Anand, Kiki Locke-Harris. Also pictured are Lincoln principal Peyton Chapman (far left) and vice principal Chris Brida (far right).
On March 12, 2020, Anya Anand was selected as Lincoln High School’s 2020 Rose Princess. She will now represent Lincoln at the Rose Festival and in the greater competition for Rose Queen. Below, Anand reflects on what it means to be a Rose Princess.
What is the process of becoming a Rose Princess like? (Applications, interviews, clothes, ect.)
Anand: Anyone from Lincoln can apply to represent Lincoln as a Rose Princess. To apply, you have to meet certain requirements and have recommendations, and the Rose Festival has to approve your application. You then prepare three speeches on different topics that have to be memorized. There is a judging day in which you are called in individually and present two of the speeches to a panel of judges and answer some questions. They then narrow down the finalists to four people, and those four people give their final speech and answer some more questions. Finally, the finalists give their speech to their school and the school votes on who they want their princess to be. Half the decision comes from the panel, and half comes from the school vote, and it is combined to determine the Rose Princess for Lincoln!
What is the significance of being the Lincoln Rose Princess? What does it represent?
Anand: The biggest significance is just being a part of this greater Rose Festival and participating in all these events that Portlanders can look to you and see that you are representing them in the greater community. Alumni, current students, potential students, and family members of Lincoln get to see a part of their community represented in the parades and other events.
What does being elected Rose Princess mean to you?
Anand: Being chosen as Rose Princess means to me that I get to represent my community and Lincoln in Portland, as I explained in the previous question. I have the opportunity to better my community and make positive change, as well as represent what Lincoln stands for.
What are some of the best parts of the Rose Princess program?
Anand: Some of the best parts of the Rose Princess program for me would be to be a part of the parades, doing community service, and participating in internships that the program would set up for me.
What are the next steps?
Anand: The next steps for me are to attend orientations for Rose Court, meet the rest of the court, and get ready to start traveling around Oregon starting May 1!
