OROVILLE – Miss Brandy Range was selected as this year’s Oroville May Festival Queen at the Royalty Selection Night held at the OHS Commons Monday, Jan. 18.

Queen Brandy and Princess Cheyanne Sharpe will represent Oroville during its annual May Festival, as well as other community events around the region.

The new May Festival Queen is the daughter of Craig and Robin Range and the new May Festival Princess is the daughter of David and Kathleen Sharpe.

The royalty candidates were introduced by last year’s royalty, Queen Kayla McKinney and Princesses Rachel Peters and Serena Carper. During Selection Night each of the girls gave a short speech, demonstrated modeling and poise and answered an impromptu question.

In her speech Range said she likes May Festival because it brings families together and remembers being in the May Pole Dance when she was in fourth grade. “It was one of my proudest moments,” she said. “The dress was so pretty, being May Queen is a dream I’ve had ever since I was a child.”

Sharpe said she thought being a May Pole Dancer was “the coolest thing” and when she looked up and saw the royalty she admired them and wanted to represent Oroville as well some day.

In her impromptu question Range was asked what she thought the biggest problem facing teenagers was today. “The biggest problem is peer pressure,” she said. “Teens get asked to do drugs and alcohol and it is hard to say no because they’re your friends, but that’s what you do.”

Sharpe was asked what makes a friend. “A friend is someone you can always rely on to be there… they won’t leave you when things get hard. I’ve been a lot of places and had a lot of friends, but I always knew who my true friends are by who stuck by my side,” she said.

After the impromptu questions, the judges – Cindy DeVon, Pamela Leslie, Kevin Kinman, Jodi Davisson and Kristi Hutchins tallied their votes and they were to be added to the votes from the audience, explained Master of Ceremonies Roger McClendon. The judges’ votes counted for 65 percent and the audiences for 35 percent. Ballot officials for the evening were Peggy Shaw, Rusty Anderson, Stacey Carleton and Kerrie Allie.

Following the count, emcee McClendon announced that Range had gotten the most votes. Sharpe won the leadership award from the May Festival Committee and Range won the Spirit Award.

The 2009 royalty gave roses to the new queen and princess and the girls posed for pictures taken by family and friends.