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--> --> High school seniors ready to battle for scholarship in Pear Blossom Pageant By Amber Fossen Ashland Daily Tidings As the Pear Blossom Festival rolls around, nine eager Jackson County high school seniors will compete in this year's 12th Annual Senior Royalty Scholarship Pageant. The winner will reign over the Pear Blossom Parade on April 11. The pageant was initially created in 1991 by Patti Bills, Darcey Mann-Self, and Val James to add another scholarship opportunity for local girls. Every year, more than 50 applicants apply from the area's schools. "We start in September and send applications to all high schools," said Mann-Self, the pageant's director. After all interested applicants have sent in their forms, the Senior Royalty Committee chooses the top five senior girls from each school. The schools then select one of the five to be their princess and a queen hopeful. In order to participate in the competition, princesses must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Those selected will then be judged based on school leadership skills, community involvement, impromptu questions, a written and presented essay, and an interview with the judges. This year's contestants are Molly Grossman of Ashland High; Nichele Brown of Cascade Christian; Cassandra Lape of Phoenix High; Kathryn Doshier of Crater High; Emma Wilkinson of South Medford High; Savannah Coronado of North Medford High; Anne Wintemute of Eagle Point High; Stacy Smith of Butte Falls High; and Jamie McClure of St. Mary's. Each Pear princess receives a $500 college scholarship with the potential to earn another $2,000 if they become queen. The pageant is scheduled for 7 p.m., March 30 in the North Medford High School Auditorium. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing