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February 2012 focusplantcity.com52

MEET THE2012 FL STRAWBERRY FESTIVALQueen & Court

Each year since 1930, the City of Plant

City and the Florida Strawberry Festival

kick off the season with the selection of

a new Queen and Court. And each year,

a lot of work goes on behind the scenes

with the Plant City Lions Club and the

Lions Auxiliary to present a pageant that

to make everyone proud and to deliver

fi ve young ladies who can represent the

Festival and our city.

And each year, we do just that. Still, we

fi nd ourselves asking, “How can we get

another fi ve girls as good as those we

had the year prior?” Thankfully, year

in and year out, the young ladies in our

area step up to the challenge. This year

is no different as the 2012 Queen and

Court were named just a few weeks

ago. I had a moment to speak with

First Maid- Calli Jo Parker and Court

Members Olivia Higgins, Erica Kelley

and Chelsea Talavera.

Queen & CourtINTERVIEW BY BRIAN WEST | PHOTOS BY ANTHONY SASSANO

FOCU

STV

WATCH

Queen & CourtQueen & CourtWatch behind the scenes at the

FOCUS Magazine Photo Shoot for the 2012 FL Strawberry Festival Queen and Court.

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February 2012 focusplantcity.com54Chelsea Bowden

2012 FL STRAWBERRY FESTIVALQueenQueenQueenThe past several years have seen several milestones in the Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s Scholarship Pageant. Lauren and Erica Der became the fi rst sisters to wear the crown. Then the feat was repeated last year as Victoria Watkins, younger sister to Ashlee, be-came the second pair of sisters to wear the crown. This year, Chelsea Bowden becomes the fi rst Queen to have grandmothers who wore the crown.

That’s right, grandmothers. Both of Bowden’s grandmothers, Bar-bara Alley Bowden – 1948 and Ruby Jean Barker Redman – 1953 were Strawberry Queens. And as you might imagine, they’re both pretty excited for their granddaughter. Chelsea and I had a chance to speak a couple of weeks ago, immediately following her fi rst offi cial appearance as the 2012 Queen at lunch with the Plant City Lions Club – sponsors of the pageant.

FOCUS: TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.Bowden: I am one of three children. Both of my parents are educa-tors. I come from a large family. I have 9 cousins on one side and 2 on the other. I’m really family-oriented. We spend Sundays together after church, eating dinner. We’re together for holidays and birthdays. We have a lake house where we like to spend time. When we are there, there’s usually about 20 of us, so it’s a pretty packed house and a lot of fun. Family is what’s most important to me.

FOCUS: WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK ABOUT ALL THIS?Bowden: My family is still overwhelmed and still just taking it all in. They’re all still kind of in shock. I’m just so blessed to have this opportunity. Both of my grandmothers were Strawberry Queens, and they are so excited. My grandmother’s friends call them all day. They come over to my house and talk about how their friends are coming over and writing them. It’s really exciting.

FOCUS: PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, WHAT DID THE ROLE OF STRAWBERRY QUEEN MEAN TO YOU?Bowden: I think it was someone that was the face of the Festival and the agriculture industry. The Strawberry Queen is also a role model to the young girls who look up to her. I know I always looked up to the role. The Queen is also someone that can get along with anyone. It was always something really special to me.

FOCUS: WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM THE PAGEANT?Bowden: The crowning moment was probably my most memo-rable. I’d have to say that was the number one moment for me. The interview was great. I felt like the judges really liked me. They gave

foCUS Magazine Plant City February 2012 55foCUS Magazine Plant City February 2012 55

me such great compliments that I was really kind of taken back. There were just so many great moments. Meeting all the girls, even the ones that didn’t make it to the top fi ve, they were all just so nice. I realize that I’m fortunate to have this opportunity.

FOCUS: WHAT DID IT TAKE FOR YOU TO PREPARE FOR THE PAGEANT?Bowden: Oh my goodness. It took so much. I’m sure you probably know that a lot of the girls get coaches now. I had a coach, mostly for the interview portion because I was so nervous about it. And getting the hair and makeup, and the clothes - it was a lot of preparation. And I couldn’t have done any of it without the support of my parents.

FOCUS: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST?Bowden: Getting to know all of the girls has been so much fun. And I’m really looking forward to getting to the Festival and meeting all the entertainers. That’s just going to be so much fun, and each of us have someone that we’re really excited about. I’m also looking forward to spending time at the Palace, which is where we’ll stay during the day, and it’s amazing. We went last night to check it out and we all picked our seats. It’s amazing.

FOCUS: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE INTERACTIONS YOU HAD WITH THE FIRST MAIDAND COURT?Bowden: I think we’re going to get along great. We all have different personalities but they blend really well. We’re just all so excited about everything that’s ahead of us.

FOCUS: YOU’RE A SENIOR THIS YEAR. WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO AFTER YOU GRADUATE?Bowden: Yes, I’m a senior this year at Durant High School. I’m planning to go to HCC and study Nursing. I would like to go to the University of Florida for my second two years, but I’ll have to wait and see how the fi rst couple of years go.

FOCUS: WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INTEREST IN NURSING?Bowden: I really like Science, Biology and Chemistry. I’ve always had great teachers at Durant. I want to do something in the mission fi eld overseas. I want to make an impact on children. That’s my biggest goal.

FOCUS: I ALSO UNDERSTAND YOU’RE INVOLVED IN THE DURANT HIGH SCHOOL LEON CLUB. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE LEOS?Bowden: I got involved through Student Government. I’m a member and Mrs. Single-tary sponsors Student Government and the Leo Club. So from Student Government, a lot of students will get involved in the Leo Club. Leo Club is the number one commu-nity service club to be involved in at Durant. Everyone is in it. We have a blast. We’ve volunteered at Pig Jam and the United Food Bank. And I have so many friends in it and that just makes it a lot of fun. Mrs. Singletary is just an amazing woman. I talk to her all the time. I spoke with her all the time leading up to the pageant and she was someone who gave me great advice. I really look up to her.

FOCUS: IT’S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS SINCE YOU WERE CROWNED QUEEN, BUT I KNOW YOU’VE ALREADY BEEN BUSY.Bowden: Yes. We’ve already ordered our evening gowns and cocktail dresses. They’re beautiful. We’ve gotten our outfi ts together; clothes and shoes. We’ve also been to another luncheon.

FOCUS: WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN?Bowden: I really enjoy going to the movies or renting from Red Box. I like to be with my family of friends on a Friday or Saturday night. I’m an outdoorsy person, which a lot of people don’t know. I have 2 dogs and I really love going to Medard Park with them. I’m really athletic and love anything outside. I also love shopping, especially bargain shopping.

FOCUS: TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS.Bowden: I danced for about 8 years, competitively, before I became a volleyball player. I used to do tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, hip hop. Not many people know that because I stopped competing when I got to the eighth grade because there isn’t much you can do with dance in high school, except cheering, and I’d never really done any of the jumps and fl ips. We have a color guard, but it’s not the same thing, so I had to branch out a little to something else.

FOCUS: WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO GAIN FROM BEING QUEEN?Bowden: I think I’ll gain more knowledge about Plant City’s history. I already know a lot, but there are a lot of things I don’t know. I also expect to gain better speaking skills, because a lot of what I have to do is talk with others. I’m sure I’ll be meeting a lot of people; a lot of infl uential people, and hopefully they’ll make an impact on me and each one of the court members.

FOCUS: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU LIKE TO SAY TO CLOSE THE INTERVIEW?Bowden: God has blessed me with such a great opportunity and I really want to thank Him and my family and friends. I’m just really looking forward to the year and getting to know the girls better.

Chelsea Bowden is going to make a great Queen for the Florida Strawberry Festival. I have no doubts she will do an excellent job in representing the Festival and Plant City well. At 5’11”, Chelsea is the tallest Queen we’ve had since Beckie Brown (5’11¾”) in 1987. Interestingly, Brown and her mother Ruth, the fi rst mother daughter Queens, were the emcees for this year’s pageant. If you fi nd yourself out and about and happen upon Chelsea, introduce yourself. You’ll be glad you did. She’s a very sweet young lady and will make us all proud to have her as this year’s Queen. Congratulations, Chelsea! Enjoy your year and make the most of every opportunity.

FOCUS: IT’S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS SINCE YOU WERE CROWNED QUEEN, BUT I KNOW

Yes. We’ve already ordered our evening gowns and cocktail dresses. They’re

FOCUS: CALLI JO AND ERICA, THIS WAS YOUR SECOND YEAR COMPETING, CORRECT?

Parker: Yes. It was defi nitely easier than my fi rst year competing, because I knew what to expect and what was coming. � is year I just kinda had it in my mind that God has a plan, and whatever it is, I’m just going to let Him use me. When He placed me in the position I’m in now, it just felt so comfortable. You get placed where you know it’s right and you just know that it’s going to work out perfectly. So that was the state of mind I held throughout the entire pageant. It defi nitely helped keep me calm and collected.

Kelley: I made the top ten last year but I had no idea what to expect. I think I messed up on the on-stage question last year, so that’s what I worked on most this year. I didn’t take it too seriously. My dad and my brother were at all of my dress fi ttings. � ey could probably do the pageant with me and do just as well. It even got to the point where my dad, whose the most country guy you could ever meet, was giving me pointers when I practiced my walk.

FOCUS: IT’S ONLY BEEN A FEW DAYS, BUT WHAT’S BEEN MOST MEMORABLE FOR YOU?

Parker: � at’s diffi cult. � e whole night was just amazing. But I think when I was answering the impromptu question was probably the most memorable for me. I’ve told everyone, it’s so crazy how fast your brain moves when you’re on stage like that, but I did not realize how funny my answer was until I saw the judge’s faces. � ey were all just laughing. It was a very memorable moment for me.

Higgins: It’s kind of funny. Just as Amber Carapezza was coming off the stage from delivering her commercial, there was fi re in the building. We heard the commotion, but didn’t know what was going on. � en she came into the dressing room and told us what happened. � at was pretty memorable. And we could hear Mr. Davis say, “We just want everyone to know that we rented these lights.”

Kelley: When they called my name for the top fi ve. I was the last one called, so I was a nervous wreck. It didn’t matter whether or not I was crowned Queen, just knowing that I made the Court meant everything. I was so happy. Talavera: � e day after the pageant, we got to meet the Queen and Court from last year. I’ve never really talked with them, so it was really nice to see how close they are now after a year together. � ey’re all very close. So I’m really looking forward to having four new best friends.

FOCUS: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST THIS YEAR?

Parker: Honestly, visiting with all of the Directors’ wives. � ere are so many people that work the festival, and the Red Coats get a lot of recognition, but their wives and the women who work behind the scenes do just as much work as everyone else. I’m really excited to get to know them and thank them for everything they do.

Higgins: Obviously the entertainers and the food, but one of the things I’m really looking forward to is getting to know the other girls. After seeing last year’s Queen and Court, and seeing how close they are and the relationships they have and knowing they’re relationships that will last a lifetime, that’s what I’m really looking forward to.

Kelley: I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone. Today with the Lions Club was just a glimpse of what the year will be like. Everyone is so sweet and nice.

Calli Jo Parker

Olivia Higgins

First Maid

Court2012 FL STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

Talavera: I’m really looking forward to meeting the entertainers and lots of great food.

FOCUS: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CAREER PLANS.

Parker: I’m currently a freshman at HCC studying Agriculture Communications. I told my mom the other day, when I’m standing on the stage with a microphone, I just feel like I was meant to do that. � at’s what I was born to do. Most of the girls were really anxious about that moment, but I couldn’t wait for that moment. I have no idea where I could do that [as a job] but to be somewhere speaking about agriculture, my faith, about anything in front of thousands of people - that is home to me. Hopefully Agriculture Communications will lead me to something like that.

Kelley: I’m attending HCC. I’m studying Business Management and I want to open my own pageant gown store in Plant City. I want the dresses to be unique and custom designed. When you put on a dress, you have to feel beautiful on the inside. I want to share that with other girls. You can’t go to Prom or compete in a pageant and have a great time if you don’t feel beautiful and I want to help other girls have that experience.

Higgins: I’ve been homeschooled since I was in Kindergarten. I’m a senior this year and started dual enrollment at HCC my junior year. � e state pays for that, so I’ll graduate from high school this spring and then from HCC in December. � en I’ll go on to USF to fi nish my Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in English. I’d like to be able to teach at the college level.

Talavera: I’m currently attending Plant City High School. After high school, I’m thinking about attending Southeastern College. It’s so pretty. I went to their Christ-mas musical and it was just so amazing. I just like that atmosphere and I’ve just had so many people say great things about it. So I’d like to go there, or maybe USF. I’d like to major in English and become a high school English teacher.

FOCUS: OLIVIA AND CHELSEA, WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INTEREST IN TEACHING ENGLISH?

Higgins: I enjoy English and I’m good at it. I like to write, and I want to be able to get married and have a family. I had a great teacher at HCC, Mrs. Galloway, and she inspired me to go for it. Talavera: Mrs. Jo Beth Newsome was my 9th grade teacher. She was just so amazing. I

just knew that I had to be just like her.

FOCUS: CALLI JO, I KNOW YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN. WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NUMBER OF CONTESTANTS SHARING THEIR BELIEF IN GOD?

Parker: � e support was overwhelming. � e sisterhood backstage was wonderful. Most of the girls were believers, which made it so much better. Last year I didn’t get the same feeling. � is year, everyone was in the pageant to serve God, and it just made everything so much more enjoyable. We all look for the same things out of life, and especially these fi ve girls that made the court. We all have one heartbeat. And I think it’s something that has already brought us closer together, quicker than any court I’ve seen, personally.

FOCUS: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY?

Parker: I really want to say thanks to my family.

Kelley: I would really like to thank everyone that helped me. My coach, Crystal, was a blessing. She’s such a sweetheart. And I’m so thankful for the support I got from my family and friends.

Higgins: I really want to say thanks to my family. � anks so much to Lynn and Con-nie at Tip to Toe for being my sponsor, and everyone in the community that was giving me such good advice. � anks so much for the opportunities we’ll have this year.

Talavera: I just want to say thanks to everyone in my family and my friends for all their support.

� ese are 4 great young ladies. � ey’re all very grounded and come from good families in our community. � ey will do a great job in representing our city and the Florida Strawberry Festival in 2012. Congratulations to each of you. Enjoy every moment.

inspired me to go for it.

Erica Kelley

Chelsea Talavera