The 106th Rose Queen was named Tuesday, with the honor going to Westridge School senior Lindsay Charles. She will now lead the seven-member Rose Court as ambassadors at a number of events in the lead-up to the highly anticipated Rose Parade events in January.
Charles, who is the captain of her school’s track and field team and is active in the Pasadena community with organizations such as Food Chain LA, Green Guerrillas club, Multicultural/Multiracial Affinity and Stemology for Kids, is also fluent in Mandarin and has a litany of hobbies including gardening , walking, journaling, drawing and art collecting, according to the Tournament of Roses. When she goes to college, she plans to study environmental science or neuroscience.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” Charles said while speaking to KCAL News. “I mean, I don’t know if it’s going to feel real anytime soon, but yeah, I’m really excited.”
She said she hopes to be someone the community can reach out to and serve as a beacon of connection so she can encourage other people to be the same.
She was one of seven Rose Court members selected from hundreds of applicants in September. Other members of the court include: Simone Ball, a senior at Arcadia High School, Saniyah Brunston, a senior at John Muir High School, Lara Georgian, a senior at Mayfield Senior School, Kate Kelly, a senior at La Cañada High School, Lisette Parker, a senior at Maranatha High School and Natalia Pradhan, a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School.
Each member of the court will receive a $7,500 educational grant from the Tournament of Roses, which says all selected members “highlight the mosaic of backgrounds and cultures that defines the Pasadena community and exemplify character, service and leadership modeled by their commitment to family. , school and community.”
Before appearing on one of the floats at the Rose Parade and then at the Rose Bowl Game during the pre-game festivities, the court will perform at a number of community and charity events.
