GRAHAM, WA — The auditorium at Graham Kapowsin High School was abuzz tonight with graceful maidens in beautiful gowns, handsome escorts in their crisp suits, chattering friends and anxious parents. They were gathered to select the school’s 2014 Daffodil Princess.

The evening began with a quartet from the GKHS orchestra playing chamber music. Each contestant came in with her escort, gave her prepared speech, answered two impromptu questions, then took a seat on the stage. The six lovely seniors were Jordan Iyall (escort Jared Westerman), Kalabria Fleming (escort Jacob Walker), Micaela Woodley (escort Troy Vandecar), Kallee Delbord (escort Ben Hansen), Denis Julio (escort Michael Knight) and Casey Park (escort Andrew Lang).

Then Amy Bernstein, the 2013 GK Daffodil Princess, gave her farewell speech, crediting all the people that helped make the year wonderful. The judges went out to deliberate and the music again played, although everyone in the room was chattering nervously.

Master of Ceremonies Ryan Morris announced the winner as Casey Park. As you will see from the photos, Casey was so stunned she showed almost no reaction at that moment. Then slowly the realization stuck her and she walked up to Miss Bernstein to receive her bouquet and tiara.

Everyone then exited to the commons for juice, cookies, lots of hugs and photographs. There, I caught the other visiting princesses that has already been selected from White River, Cascade Christian, Emerald Ridge and Eatonville.

In an unusual quirk of the selection process, Emerald Ridge High School ended up with two Princesses. I cannot recall a time this has ever happened, but due to an error in calculating the results, they were about to make the decision to take the crown from one and give it to another, days after the selection. When they notified the Daffodil Committee, of the plan, the Committee made the decision there would be two rather than the discomforting situation of taking the crown away from another. They are a cute, matched set of petite dynamos who seem to have adjusted well to the unusual circumstance.

Congratulations Casey Park! May your year provide a lifetime of memories!