OROVILLE – Six Oroville High School juniors are asking to represent their community as Oroville May Festival Royalty — Casey Todd-Hirst, Victoria Castrejon, Melinda Clark, Emily Rawley, Madelyn Martin and Emma Bocook.
The queen and her princesses will be chosen on Selection Night on Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Oroville Elementary School gym. Each young lady will be judged on five points by a panel made up of judges from Oroville and neighboring communities. Among the points on which the selection will be made will be the girls’ speeches, poise and their answers to an impromptu question.
In addition, those in attendance will be allowed to vote and these votes, combined with the judges votes, will be tallied to determine this year’s queen and her court of two princesses. The girl receiving the most votes will be May Festival Queen and the two runners up will be May Festival Princesses. The royalty will represent the Oroville community at May Festival, as well as at events around the region. They will be crowned by last year’s royalty at the coronation on Friday, May 8, the night before May Festival parade and other events.
The following are the six candidates’ biographies:
Emma Bocook
Hi, my name is Emma Bocook and I’m very excited to have this opportunity to represent Oroville and hopefully become May Day Queen. I am 17 and a junior at Oroville High School and also enrolled in Running Start at Wenatchee Valley College.
I moved to Oroville when I was in first grade with my parents, Josh and Joey Bocook, and my brother, Conner Bocook. My mom works at the physical therapy office here in Oroville and my dad is a Border Patrol agent. I also have four amazing pets, three dogs and one adorable cat, Penny, Max, Louie and Oliver.
In the past I have been a stat keeper and manager for the basketball team and also played volleyball and ran track. I currently do track still and am also involved in Upward Bound. I attend various Gear-Up and Upward Bound trips throughout the year to help prepare me for college. I want to attend Western Washington University for Marine Biology in Bellingham. I also work at Java Junkie, so if you need your fix of caffeine — you know where to find me!
I’ve always loved May Day but my favorite part was waiting to see the queen and princesses in the parade. I couldn’t wait to see their dresses and the colorful float but never thought I could bring myself to do it, but here I am and very excited and honored to have this opportunity. I’m also excited to be running with my classmates, Maddie Martin, Victoria Castrejon, Emily Rawley, Melinda Clark, and Casey Todd-Hirst and wish you all the best of luck! I also hope to see everyone at selection night on Feb. 17th to support us through this exciting experience!
Maddie Martin
Hi! My name is Maddie Martin and I am very excited to be running for your 2020 May Day Queen. My parents are Shelly and Brian Martin. My mom works at Oroville Elementary School and my dad works for the PUD as a lineman. I have three siblings, one sister, Faith Martin and two brothers, Spencer and Hunter Martin. I am the youngest in my family and am currently a Junior at Oroville High School. I am so excited to be able to represent the amazing town that I have lived in my entire life. Running for May Day royalty has always been a goal of mine and I am honored to be given this opportunity.
I have been involved in this community since I was very young. I have always wanted to be involved in all the sporting events, games, and clubs that I could be involved in. I play many sports including: basketball, cross-country, cheerleading and track where I have been given the opportunity to represent many of the teams as a team captain; motivating and encouraging my teams to work hard and leave their hearts out on the court (or track). In addition to sports, I was a part of ASB serving as a treasurer for Oroville High School, where I was able to coordinate and supervise various events for the school.
May Day has been my favorite event in this town since I could walk. I have participated in 3 on 3 basketball and watched the parade every year since I can remember. I remember always looking up to the May Day Royalty and wanting to be a part of it someday.
I hope to see everyone on Monday, Feb. 17th for Selection Night. I am very excited to have the opportunity to represent Oroville as your May Day Queen. I also wish the best of luck to Emma Bocook, Victoria Castrejon, Casey Todd-Hirst, Melinda Clark and Emily Rawley.
Emily Rawley
Hello everyone, My name is Emily Rawley and I am running to be your 2020 May Day Queen. It would be my dream come true to represent Oroville as your queen. I am 17 years old and a junior in high school. I have lived in Oroville my whole life. My parents are Bruce and Rachel Rawley. I have three siblings: Katie, Lauren and Luke.
I have been playing basketball since I was in second grade. I have also been doing track since my 7th grade year. I am a part of two college-bound programs at the high school: Upward Bound and Gear-Up. I am also a Running Start student through Wenatchee Valley College at Omak, where I will graduate with my Associates Degree upon completing high school.
Ever since I was a little girl I loved going to parades. I have been involved with the parades since as far back as I can remember. I always rode in the firetrucks with my siblings. My favorite thing about going in the firetrucks was waiting for our turn to go because I got to see the Queen and all the class royalties’ floats go by. It has always been my dream to be Queen ever since I got to be one of the little girls on the Queen’s float. I have always looked up to the May Day Royalty and aspired to be like them one day. May Day has always been my favorite time of year. It’s always such an amazing time seeing the community come together and make it such a memorable time for everyone.
I hope to see everyone on Selection Night on February 17th, 2020. I would also like to wish the best of luck to my beautiful fellow candidates Emma Bocook, Casey Todd-Hirst, Maddie Martin, Tori Castrejon and Melinda Clark.
Victoria Castrejon
Hello everyone, my name is Victoria Castrejon and I am blessed to be a candidate for your 2020 May Day Festival Queen. I am 16-years-old and I am a junior at Oroville High School. My parents are Antonio and Belinda Castrejon. I have three older siblings, my sister, Liliana Castrejon and my two twin brothers, Emmanuel and Daniel Castrejon. I also have family pets, a dog, Molly and a cat, Sasha, and surprisingly they get along pretty well.
In the past, I have participated in many clubs such as Be the Change Club and Future Business Leaders of America. Since the beginning of junior high, I was class secretary leading into my sophomore year. During my sophomore year I was also secretary for Executive ASB (student body government). I’m currently in two programs, the Upward Bound and Running Start program. Throughout my high school years, I have participated in varsity volleyball, basketball and track & field. During my sophomore basketball year, I also managed to take stats for the high school wrestling team and for the Killer Bees. This past summer, I began working for Steam Bee Goods Company Coffee Roaster and Shop. After graduating high school with a diploma, and Wenatchee Valley College with an Associate of Arts and Sciences Degree, I am planning to attend the University of Washington to become a Landscape Architect to create art around the world.
To represent Oroville, Washington would be a great honor. Every year I have always looked forward to seeing who the next queen would be and how beautiful they would look in their gowns. Some of the past May Day Festival Queens have become great role models to me and hopefully, I can become a role model to others. Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed of being a princess, but now, I have an amazing opportunity to become a queen.
I would be grateful to see everyone on Monday, February 17, to support my classmates and I for Selection Night. I wish luck to my fellow candidates Emma Bocook, Madelyn Martin, Emily Rawley, Casey Todd-Hirst and Melinda Clark.
Melinda Clark
Hello everyone, my name is Melinda Clark and I cherish the chance to be a candidate for the 2020 May Day Queen. I’m 17-years-old, a junior at Oroville High School and I am in the Running Start program. I have lived in Oroville all my life. My parents are Debra and Craig Range and Vince Clark. I have two sisters, Brandy Appel and Kayla Clark and one brother, Darian Range.
I am currently a Varsity Wrestler on the Oroville Wrestling team. I am also a part of the volleyball and softball teams. I am a part of the Explorers program run by the Border Patrol. Through that program I have been a part of many community service events. These include the Feed the Hive food drive, sending care packages to soldiers on Christmas and cleaning the side of the road and the Shop with a Cop.
I am proud to have the opportunity to represent this amazing community. To do so would be a great honor. I have been in the May Day parade almost every year, whether with the Girl Scouts, the May Pole Dancers or even the marching band. As a young girl, I would always admire the May Day Queen and her float. I have wanted to do this for a long time and now that I have the chance to, I am thrilled.
I hope to see everyone at selection night this year on Monday, February 17. I would love for everyone to come and support all the candidates. I would love to wish my fellow candidates the best.
Casey Todd-Hirst
Hello everyone, my name is Casey Todd-Hirst and I am very excited to be running for your 2020 May Day Queen. I am 17 years old and a Running Start junior at Oroville High School. I have lived in Oroville my entire life. I am blessed with four parents, I live with my mother, April Fry and her husband Joseph, along with four of my siblings; Koda, Kamren, Mason and Madison. I also spend time with my dad, Gary Hirst, and his wife, Jay.
I have been a cheerleader for the past three years and have been captain for the past two. When I can, I help the American Legion with their annual Christmas Party. During my freshman year I played and also did books for our softball team. I am currently building a tiny house for me and my dog and I have worked at Java Junkie for the past year and a half. My long term goal is to be a Speech Pathologist.
My whole life attending May Day, I was mesmerized by all of the royalty and floats. When I was in the fifth and sixth grade I was in the marching band. I was also an attendant for my class in eighth grade. May Day has always been my favorite community event because it brings everyone together. It would be an honor to represent Oroville and be a role model to future royalty.
I hope to see everyone Monday, February 17 to support us for Selection Night. I would also like to wish the best of luck to my fellow candidates Emily Rawley, Emma Bocook, Madelyn Martin, Victoria Castrejon and Melinda Clark.
