Royal Court selected through rigorous process

One of the highlights of the Strawberry Festival is a chance to see the talented members

of the Royal Court riding in the parade. But, while it may seem that these young people

are selected entirely for their friendly manner and ability to smile and wave attractively,

there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye. They are required to be ambassadors for the

city and expectations for them are high.

Candidates for the Royal Court go through a rigorous selection process prior to election

and must prove they are worthy of the honor. To apply, the students must live in

Marysville and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average with a better than 90 percent

school attendance record. The Royal Court is limited to high school juniors and seniors

and is open to males as well as females. They are tested on their public speaking and

talent abilities before the lucky few are selected.

Once a student has been chosen for the Royal Court, the real work begins. Besides being

available for the Strawberry Festival itself, the royals must be ready to attend local events

during the year. They are also required to travel throughout Washington, Oregon and

Canada representing Marysville at festivals hosted by the Northwest Festival Hosting

Association. It’s a busy schedule but one they seem to relish. It’s also something that

head Royal Ambassador Kristi Wilcoxson wanted to do ever since she was a little girl.

“I remember watching all the princesses go by on their floats when I was in elementary

school,” Wilcoxson said. “I’ve always wanted the opportunity to be one of them, so when

I got the chance I took it. The scholarship was a nice bonus, too!”

Scholarship money is one of the rewards the Royals earn for their work in the

community. It is to be applied for books and tuition once they reach college. Wilcoxson

will be using her scholarship money when she attends Brigham Young University in the

fall. She plans to study music and business law, and hopes to combine them later into a

career as a lawyer in the music industry. But for now she’s enjoying all the new friends

she’s made while meeting and greeting people as Royal Ambassador.

Wilcoxson has already made several appearances in her royal role. Her next big

appearance is at the Strawberry Festival itself. That’s something she’s really looking

forward to.

“It’s fun to go to other festivals,” she said, “but Marysville is what it’s all about!”

Wilcoxson is supported this year by fellow ambassadors Catherine D’Ambrosia and

Sarah Butler. In addition to the Official Royal Court, there is also a category for Junior

Royalty. This year’s younger royals are Ashlynn Woodward, Alicia Hardy and Jessica

Milton.