The Tournament of Roses selected the 2019 Rose Queen to reign over the 130th Rose Parade and the 105th Rose Bowl Game Tuesday evening at a highly-anticipated ceremony in Pasadena.
Louise Deser Siskel, a San Marino resident and senior at Sequoyah High School in Pasadena, was selected for the honor.
She is a member of the debate team and the Judicial Committee at Sequoyah High School, she’s involved in YMCA Youth and Government, and she is researching breast cancer under Dr. Shehla Pervin at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, according to the Tournament of Roses. She plans to study cellular and molecular biology in college.
Tournament of Roses judges narrowed hundreds of hopefuls down to a field of seven Royal Court members earlier this month. The Rose Queen will be selected from among them and formally coronated during Tuesday’s ceremony at the Pasadena Playhouse.
The applicants came from two-dozen Pasadena-area schools. The judging process includes criteria such as public speaking ability, academics, youth leadership and community involvement, officials added.
The Rose Queen and Royal Court serve as ambassadors for the Tournament of Roses and for Pasadena, taking part in nearly 100 community events throughout the year.
In addition to Rose Queen Siskel, the Royal Court consists of Helen Rossi from Flintridge Preparatory School, Rucha Kadam from La Canada High School, Lauren Baydaline from Westridge School, Micaela McElrath from Westridge School, Sherry Ma from San Marino High School and Ashley Hacket from John Muir High School.
