McDaniel High School names Rose Festival Princess

Meet Princess Faith, who represents Leodis V. McDaniel High School – the High School formerly named Madison High – for the 2021 Portland Rose Festival …

-1 This screen signals the start of the announcement revealing the final outer East Portland 2021 Portland Rose Festival Princess: A young lady from newly-renamed Leodis V. McDaniel High School.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Last year, the announcement of the Leodis V. McDaniel High School (LVMHS) – formerly Madison High School – Portland Rose Festival Princess was held in the theater of their temporary Marshall High campus in the Lents neighborhood, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But, this year, their Princess Announcement took place online.

Greeting all those attending is LVMHS Principal Adam Skyles.

During a Zoom session, on Friday afternoon, March 5, LVMHS Principal Adam Skyles welcomed everyone logged in to the program. “We’re so proud to be involved with the Portland Rose Festival, and very pleased with our candidate,” he smiled, before handing off the meeting to Portland Rose Festival Foundation Vice-President Contesa Diaz-Nicolaidis.

Rosarian Lord High Chamberlin Ilse J. Kindler, the official escort for the LVMHS Princess, presents the organization’s signature “tip-of-the-hat” salute.

Diaz-Nicolaidis thanked the sponsors of the Rose Festival Court program, and made other introductions.

Unitus Community Credit Union’s Lori Fink says she’ll be the mentor for this year’s LVMHS Princess.

Then, Principal Skyles introduced the school’s chosen Princess, Faith Isibor. Her sister, off camera, placed the official tiara on her head, making her – officially – “2021 Portland Rose Festival Leodis V. McDaniel High School Princess Faith Isibor”.

“I’m pleased to be part of the Rose Festival this year; and, I’m looking forward to meeting all of the other wonderful Rose Festival Princesses,” said Princess Faith.

The 2021 Portland Rose Festival Princess representing Leodis V. McDaniel High School, Faith Isibor, greets those looking in on the Zoom ceremony.

Later, Princess Faith granted East Portland News an interview, to learn more about her – starting with how she came to become involved with Rose Festival Court program.

“The pandemic has resulted in a lot of people becoming more disconnected, and I decided to apply to the Rose Festival Court in order to help bring people together. I wanted to be a part of continuing the traditions of the Rose Festival, despite our current situation,” Princess Faith told us.

Princess Faith said that she has roots in outer East Portland, having attended Rigler Elementary School and Beaumont Middle School before attending Leodis V. McDaniel High School, where she is now a junior.

What is Princess Faith looking forward to this year, as she represents Leodis V. McDaniel High School? “Even though the Grand Floral Parade had to be canceled this year due to the pandemic, I am still very excited to get more involved with the Portland Rose Festival.

“I am looking forward to volunteering in the community, and representing my school,” Princess Faith continued. “Being able to meet several other talented young women from different areas of Portland is an experience that I know I can learn and grow from.”

Congratulations to 2021 Portland Rose Festival Leodis V. McDaniel High School Princess Faith Isibor!

In addition to excelling in academics – achieving membership in the National Honors Society, among other organizations – Princess Faith said she’s been very involved in the school’s music program, and is a multi-instrumentalist – playing flute, tenor sax, and piccolo.

Princess Faith, the daughter of Josephine Ebagua and Eric Isibor, shared that after she graduates – most likely, at the newly-remodeled campus – with her Class of ’22, she plans to pursue a career in medicine, and open a clinic for low-income communities to address US health care disparities.

Her future education will be supported, as it will be for each selected member of the 2021 Rose Festival Court, by a $3,500 scholarship grant from The Randall Group.

The 2021 Portland Rose Festival Queen will be crowned the Queen of Rosaria at the Queen’s Coronation, in the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park, which now slated to be held at 10:00 a.m. on June 18.

To find out more about the 2021 Portland Rose Festival, see their official website: CLICK HERE.

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