Fab 14 vie for royal court

With a new year comes a new group of high school students vying for one of seven spots on the Lilac Festival Royal Court. On Sunday, six will become princesses, and one will become queen.

“Each year, they are, as a group, high achieving girls,” said Cecelia Stephens, one of the volunteers with the Lilac Festival and a past president. “They care about the community, they are very giving, and when it’s done, they’re proud to be from this community.”

The process of selecting the royal court begins in the fall, when all Spokane County high schools are invited to select a representative. In November, the Spokane Lilac Festival Association narrows the field down to 14 candidates, known as the Fab 14.

Candidates must meet a variety of criteria, including a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for six semesters, volunteer activities and leadership roles at school. Community judges interview the candidates, and points earned during the interviews determine who joins the Fab 14.

Once the Fab 14 is finalized, the group begins participating in events throughout the community. This year, the Fab 14 has helped with Operation Cookie Drop at Fairchild Air Force Base, the Santa Express and the Salvation Army’s Clothe a Child, visited retirement homes and taken self-defense and etiquette classes.

“We want to see if they’re team players,” Stephens said. “Because that’s what we’re looking for, not who’s the prettiest.”

The night of coronation, the Fab 14 will be judged based on a prepared speech, an onstage question and interviews with five judges.

The royal court will represent Spokane at events around the Northwest.