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Community Corner

Altadena Teen Named 2014 Rose Queen

From The Tournament of Roses website

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association today named Ana Marie Acosta as the 96th Rose Queen in an official ceremony at First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena.

Presented by Citizens Business Bank with support from Macy's and Mikimoto, the announcement concludes a month-long process that began with more than 900 Pasadena-area young women who participated in the Royal Court tryouts.

Acosta and the six Rose Princesses will make over 100 community and media appearances, culminating with the 125th Rose Parade presented by Honda and the 100th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO.

"Rose Queen Ana Marie Acosta and the six Rose Princesses for 2014 are exceptional young women," said Tournament of Roses President Scott Jenkins, who presented the crown to the queen. "In their roles representing the Tournament of Roses and the City of Pasadena, the Royal Court members are symbols of hope for the future, and I know they will inspire many young girls during the next few months."

The Rose Queen and Royal Court were selected based upon a combination of qualities, including public speaking ability, poise, academic achievement and community involvement. During the coronation ceremony, Jenkins presented Queen Ana with a Mikimoto crown featuring more than 600 cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds. Prior to the public event, all members of the Royal Court received a pearl necklace from Mikimoto.

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Acosta, 17, lives in Altadena and attends Polytechnic School. Ana is the captain of her school’s varsity equestrian team and a cabinet member of its Girls Service League. She also serves on Poly’s Ambassadors Council and participates in National Charity League and Girl Scouts, for which she is currently working on her Gold Award.

Acosta was accepted into the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s 2013 Emerging Athletes Program. She aspires to become a surgeon specializing in neurology. She is the daughter of Dr. John H. and Sarah Acosta; she has one older sister, Christina.

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The Rose Princesses are Sarah Elizabeth Hansen, 19, Pasadena City College; Kayla Diyana Johnson-Granberry; 17, Pasadena High School; Jamie Ann Kwong, 17, La Salle High School; Katherine Diane Lipp, 17, La Cañada High School; Elyssia Hadi Widjaja, 17, San Marino High School; and Elizabeth Katie Woolf, 17, La Cañada High School.


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