Lilac court hopefuls

The pretty faces and size-2 clothes come with the territory. After all, they all are in line to become Spokane royalty. But there’s more to the mascara than meets the eye.

When the five-member Spokane Lilac Festival royalty selection committee judges the 14 finalists on Sunday, it will be interviewing National Honor Society members, singers, dancers, tutors, volunteers and high school girls who participate in activities that shout “overachiever.”

The field will be narrowed to the queen and six princesses, who will participate in various events, highlighted by the Spokane Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade on May 20. The queen will be the 61st in a civic event that was founded in 1938.

This will be the third year since the royal court was overhauled for financial reasons, reducing the number from 13 to seven.

The seven members of the royal court each will receive a $1,250 scholarship, provided by Northern Quest Casino. The queen will be awarded an additional $1,300.

The selection process will include a breakfast with the judges and 15-minute private interviews, followed by a public stage presentation.

Here’s a look at the Fabulous 14:

Kelsey Higley

University High School

Activities: National Honor Society, cheerleader, dance, dance instructor, part-time nanny.

College plans and studies: Local university, yet to be determined; possibly majoring in psychology or foreign language.

Charli Johnson

Contract-Based Education

Activities: Juvenile Delinquent Center outreach, preschool teacher assistant, nanny, piano, Running Start, Cup of Cool Water.

College plans and studies: UCLA; sociology.

Megan Murphy

West Valley High School

Activities: Senior class president, Interhigh representative, National Honor Society, Link Crew, cheerleader, One-Eighty Youth Ministries, Achievers scholarship recipient.

College plans and studies: Eastern Washington University; secondary education and special education with a minor in speech therapy.

Elizabeth Lewis

Mt. Spokane High School

Activities: National Honor Society, Link Crew, jazz choir, chamber choir, violin and guitar, orchestra, church youth group worship team, youth group, ALIVE Bible study.

College plans and studies: Undecided; music and English.

Zanie McMillan

North Central High School

Activities: National Honor Society, varsity sports, cheerleading, Fast Forward Select jazz choir, Spokane Peer Abstinence Movement, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Gear Up, church youth group.

College plans and studies: Seattle Pacific University; pediatric cardiologist.

Kristi Nelson

Rogers High School

Activities: Cheerleader, representative to Associated Student Body, leadership, Link Crew, Task Force, senior class representative and prom committee, YMCA board member and student board member.

College plans and studies: Washington State University; dental hygienist.

Lyndsay Nicesmith

Deer Park High School

Activities: National Honor Society president, cheerleading, Key Club, jazz choir, math tutor, piano, Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

College plans and studies: Eastern Washington University; business.

Maria Oliva

Gonzaga Prep

Activities: Tennis, skiing, English-as-a-second-language tutoring, lessons and carols program.

College plans: Portland, Seattle University or Gonzaga.

Camille Troxel

Shadle Park High School

Activities: National Honor Society, NHS secretary, jazz choir, Shadle Chorale, Spokane Peer Abstinence Movement, vacation Bible school co-director, student leadership.

College plans and studies: Undecided; communication, with an emphasis in writing and journalism.

Meghan Wescombe

Mead High School

Activities: National Honor Society, flute, Associated Student Body, church worship team singer, church and church camp volunteer and teacher.

College plans and studies: Whitworth; theater, drama, voice.

Annie Caldwell

Medical Lake High School

Activities: National Honor Society, leadership, senior class representative, varsity softball, Candlelighters Children’s Support Group, church youth group.

College plans and studies: Eastern Washington University; child psychology.

Nicolle Rose

Ferris High School

Activities: National Honor Society, Running Start, Link Crew, elementary and high school tutor, Early Morning Seminary.

College plans and studies: Undecided; science.

Shanleigh Sullivan

Lewis and Clark High School

Activities: Martin Luther King Center after-school program, Spokane Area Children’s Chorus.

Interhigh president, Nordstrom fashion board, St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church choir.

College plans and studies: In Washington or New York; music, language or speech language pathology.

Brittany Tenold

The Oaks Classical Christian Academy

Activities: Commended National Merit Scholar, City Gate and Shriners Hospital volunteer, church youth group, church teacher, discipleship group.

College plans: Hillsdale (Mich.) College, Pepperdine or Wheaton (Ill.) College; nurse practitioner.