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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Lilac Queen Meghan Long balances schoolwork, activities, royalty schedule

Growing up with four brothers meant tea parties were few and far between for Meghan Long. So being surrounded by little girls dressed as princesses at the Spokane Lilac Festival Association Royal Tea Party last month was especially delightful.

The Ferris senior was crowned Lilac Queen on Jan. 25.

“It didn’t seem real,” she said, recalling the moment when last year’s queen, Kaylee Pearson, announced her name.

But the culmination of months of hard work and preparation was very real.

“It’s a scholarship program, not a beauty pageant,” Long said. “There’s no swimsuit or talent competition.”

Indeed, all applicants must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, and this year $18,000 in scholarships were awarded.

Long comes from a musical family.

Her brother, Kevin Long is working on his third album, and Bristol, a band featuring her brothers Curran and Riley, recently released its first album.

Long is part of three choirs at Ferris: show choir, symphonic choir and Canterbury Belles, a woman’s advanced choir.

“I love to sing,” she said. “I could sing all night.”

When one of her friends from Canterbury Belles became a Lilac princess, Long peppered her with questions. “I love Spokane and she explained the military appreciation and community service aspects of the events.”

That was enough to make Long turn in her application. Each school chooses its own candidate, usually through an interview and application process. Long was thrilled to be selected to represent Ferris.

Twenty-nine candidates are then narrowed down to the Fab 14. “When the representative called and told me I’d made it, I told her I loved her,” Long said.

This sparkling group is kept busy with community service activities including a Cookie Drop at Fairchild Air Force Base where they deliver homemade cookies. The girls also help with Santa Express and visit residents at area retirement homes.

The girls receive instruction on etiquette, public speaking and the history of the Lilac Association. They are expected to be informed about Spokane’s civic leaders and notable events.

All this in the midst of their senior year can be overwhelming, but Long said she relished the activity while maintaining a 3.76 GPA and serving as the editor of the Ferris yearbook.

English is her favorite subject and she plans to attend Whitworth University this fall and be an active part of the music department.

“I want to be a teacher,” she said. “I’ve been so impacted by many great teachers in my life.”

As coronation night approached, the girls refined their final speeches on the topic: “It’s the moments you remember, not the days.” The tight-knit group of 14 would soon be winnowed to seven – six princesses and the queen.

Long drew on her love of the outdoors, writing her coronation speech on mountain climbing. Every year she goes on a mountain climbing trip to British Columbia with her church youth group. The outings don’t sound very royal: “You wear the same clothes for days,” she said.

She related a frightening experience of sliding down a big snow bank. “Scary moments, life or death situations, hard moments, teamwork – climbing has it all.”

And those hardships are rewarded, she said.

“The summit is peace,” Long said. “An overwhelming sense that everything is right with the world. It’s so beautiful you don’t want to leave.”

On coronation night she delivered her two-minute memorized speech with enough poise and passion to win the coveted crown.

Since then she and her court have plunged into a whirlwind of activity culminating in Festival Week and Saturday’s Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade.

As a child watching the parade, Long said, “I never thought it would be me on the float.”

Then she smiled. “But what little girl wouldn’t want to be a princess?”