UPDATED: Congratulations to this year’s Portland Rose Festival Parkrose High School “Princess Brenda” …
Before the announcement, Parkrose High Princess candidates Haley Chang, Brenda Ortegon Briceno, and Jhaylynne Doctolero gather for a photo.
By David F. Ashton
Photos by Katie Yates
Many students and staff were gathered in the Parkrose High School Theater on the afternoon of March 3 for the announcement of their 2020 Portland Rose Festival Princess, who will be representing the school’s “Bronco Pride” during the festivities.
This year’s candidates, Haley Chang, Brenda Ortegon Briceno, and Jhaylynne Doctolero were welcomed to the stage.
Unitus Community Credit Union Mentor Karen Salman presented each of the candidates a gift – a memento of their participation.
Reigning Parkrose High Princess Amy Bonilla places the tiara on the head of 2020 Parkrose High School Portland Rose Festival “Princess Brenda Ortegon Briceño”.
2019 Portland Rose Festival Parkrose High Princess Amy Bonilla told of her experiences, before announcing that Brenda Ortegon Briceño, a junior at the school, had been selected as this year’s princess.
Born in Yucatan, Mexico, Princess Brenda is a Junior at Parkrose High, and is involved in NHS, MECHA, College Possible, and the swim team. She earned Alfred Wegener’s Resilience Award for demonstrating resilience in physical science, and the Cybernetic Human trophy in AP Biology.
Posed for the photo, and flanked by the members of her court, Haley Chang and Jhaylynne Doctolero, it’s Princess Brenda Ortegon Briceno!
“I am proud of being a good student who has given it her all,” Princess Brenda told reporters. “I am really proud that I got good grades and was able to make connections with people; but the thing that I am most proud of is going outside my comfort zone, and taking every opportunity I could.”
Asked about her favorite Portland Rose Festival event, Princess Brenda responded, “I’m going to be honest, I don’t think I have ever attended a Rose Festival event. This is one of the reasons why I am super excited about this opportunity.”
Congratulations to Parkrose High’s Princess Brenda!
Princess Brenda’s plans to attend college, and focusing in the sciences, will be aided by a $3,500 scholarship, courtesy of The Randall Group.
UPDATE
All Portland Rose Festival events and activities have been postponed until further notice; to see their official web site: CLICK HERE.
© 2020 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™