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View Winners → TOR Names Ana Marie Acosta 2014 Rose Queen
Pasadena Independent Oct 25, 2013
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A very excited Ana Marie Acosta was selected as the 96th Rose Queen in Pasadena Thursday night – Photo by Terry Miller
By Terry Miller
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses® Association Thursday named Ana Marie Acosta as the 96th Rose Queen in an official and elaborate ceremony at First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena.
Traditionally the announcement and crowning are held at two different venues on different dates, but this year TOR official decided to changes things around a bit and do both on the same night. This is the first time since 1998 that the ceremony was held in a church.
Outside the church half a dozen PETA members protested the Tournament of Roses for allowing a SeaWorld Float this year which they say promotes animal abuse.
Pasadena PD kept a watchful eye on the protestors who were peaceful and not disruptive of any of the ceremonies.
The announcement concludes a month-long process that began with more than 900 Pasadena-area young women who participated in the Royal Court tryouts. The ceremony was emceed by CNN’s “New Day” news anchor Michaela Pereira.
About 500 people attended the ceremony which lasted approximately 2 hours.
Rose Queen Ana and the six Rose Princesses will make over 100 community and media appearances, culminating with the 125th Rose Parade® presented by Honda and the 100th Rose Bowl Game® presented by VIZIO.
“Rose Queen Ana Marie Acosta and the six Rose Princesses for 2014 are exceptional young women,” said Tournament of Roses President Scott Jenkins, who presented the crown to the queen. “In their roles representing the Tournament of Roses and the City of Pasadena, the Royal Court members are symbols of hope for the future, and I know they will inspire many young girls during the next few months.”
The Rose Queen and Royal Court were selected based upon a combination of qualities, including public speaking ability, poise, academic achievement and community involvement. During the coronation ceremony, Jenkins presented Queen Ana with a Mikimoto crown featuring more than 600 cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds. Prior to the public event, all members of the Royal Court received a pearl necklace from Mikimoto.
Rose Queen Ana Marie Acosta, 17, lives in Altadena and attends Polytechnic School. Ana is the captain of her school’s varsity equestrian team and a cabinet member of its Girls Service League. She also serves on Poly’s Ambassadors Council and participates in National Charity League and Girl Scouts, for which she is currently working on her Gold Award. Ana was accepted into the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s 2013 Emerging Athletes Program. She aspires to become a surgeon specializing in neurology. She is the daughter of Dr. John H. and Sarah Acosta; she has one older sister, Christina.
