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After just four contestants last year, Rose Queen pageant draws 15 hopefuls

Roselle's annual Rose Queen Scholarship Pageant is experiencing a resurgence of sorts.

With just four contestants in last year's event, organizers opened the competition to all Roselle girls in high school and all Lake Park High School girls - not just the juniors and seniors who were traditionally eligible.

This year's numbers jumped to 15 contestants for the 56th annual event happening Friday, Feb. 27, at Lake Park's West Campus.

The surprise?

All girls competing are still upperclassmen. Pageant organizers said they are thrilled with the boost and they credit this year's higher numbers to the pageant's long history as a point of pride in Roselle - although they hope next year freshmen and sophomores will join in, too.

"I think the Rose Pageant is coming back to an era similar to when I was a student at Lake Park, when it was such a big thing," said Katie Petrucci, a 2004 Lake Park alumna who is helping to organize the event. "With so many girls this year, it's going to be awesome."

The girls are competing for college scholarships totaling more than $3,000, with prizes for the winner, first runner-up and the contestant with the highest GPA. All participants also will be invited to join a unit in this year's annual Rose Parade on June 7.

They will be interviewed by five judges prior to the pageant as part of their scoring. In front of the crowd, they will compete in sportswear and formal wear categories, as well as in a talent segment and an onstage question.

"It's not just a pageant because it teaches the girls that if they work really hard, it can pay off from an academic standpoint," Petrucci said. "They can put themselves out there, step out of their comfort zone by sharing their talent, confidence and heart with the audience, and then get rewarded for it."

Another twist this year includes a fifth judge, Roselle Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year Todd Eichholz. The pageant traditionally has had four judges.

Eichholz also says the contest goes beyond pageantry and, more importantly, teaches each girl life lessons that will continue long after they leave the stage.

"Not only do these girls get a chance to be part of an iconic tradition in Roselle, but, more importantly, this pageant gives them an excellent opportunity to learn and practice public speaking and how to carry oneself in an interview situation, which will greatly benefit them for years to come," he said.

Francesca McCallister
Hannah Tolentino
Kathryn Reninger
Karley Wolf
Rebecca Glennon
Sarah Hochstadt
Rebecca Savage
Tu Le
Valerie Schiavon
Roselle's next Rose Queen, to be crowned on Friday, will have a place of honor in the village's annual Rose Parade June 7. After having just four contestants last year, the Rose Queen pageant drew 15 Lake Park High School students for the 2015 contest. Daily Herald File Photo
Maggie Fuchs
Natalia Bedtke
Maria Bottino
Rachel Gebka
Vanessa Brooks

If you go

What: 56th annual Rose Queen Scholarship Pageant

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27

Where: Lake Park High School West, 500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Roselle

Tickets: $5

Info: roselle.il.us

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