Congratulations to the 2026 Marysville Strawberry Festival Royalty Court!
Congratulations to the 2026 Marysville Strawberry Festival Royalty Court, crowned on Feb. 3 in the regal Marysville Opera House. For the next year (pictured from left), Prince Malachi, Princesses Katherine and Hazel, and Queen Monet will serve as community ambassadors at numerous festivals and parades around the Pacific Northwest, most often accompanying the Marysville Strawberry Festival float. That includes the Strawberry Festival Grand Parade at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 along State Avenue in downtown Marysville. The royalty court will also visit other events and community groups around Marysville as part of what is sure to be a year of unforgettable memories and community spirit.
A talented pool of more than a dozen high school students applied for the April Friesner Memorial Royalty Scholarship Program, and shared their leadership and public speaking skills, as well as community and school involvement. Judges selected the four finalists, who will receive royalty scholarships (Queen/King $5,000; Prince/sses $4,500), as well as a crown, sash and clothing gift package.
Let their reign begin, and be sure to give them a rousing parade wave if you see them around town!
Queen Mone't Clemens - Senior, Marysville-Pilchuck High School
Queen Mone't Clemens
Mone't wanted to be involved with the Strawberry Festival because she always strives to put herself out there and make a difference in her community. She may not be "miss perfect," she says, but she is dedicated, resilient and kind, and she wants to prove to not only to her family and community but to herself that she is capable of accomplishing great things and being recognized for the hard work she consistently puts in. Being part of the Marysville Strawberry Festival royalty would mean so much to her; it represents growth, leadership and service. Mone't's favorite school subjects are Drama and Leadership. She says the classes have allowed her to meet many different, wonderful people while creating long-lasting relationships. For community involvement, she has helped with food drives and helping teach English to foreign exchange students. She has earned awards in Drama, basketball and soccer, was a Student of the Week, and is in National Honor Society. She is also involved in Black Student Union (BSU), ASB executive board and United Natives Club. Mone't's ambition in life is to always work and try her best no matter how many setbacks or times she has to do it, while being more accepting of failure, seeing it as more room for growth and leaning opportunities. She hopes to attend the University of Washington or a college in Oregon.
Princess Hazel Perkins - Junior, Marysville Getchell High School
Princess Hazel Perkins
Hazel knows that being part of the Royalty requires a large commitment of time as well as a serious commitment to the community, but she's ready for it. She wants to be able to reach people. From volunteering at events to waving at kids during a parade, she is looking for to being part of this community. "I have seen how great being a part of the Strawberry Festival has been for people I know. I have seen how much they love doing it, and I have seen the amazing connections that they have built along their own journeys in the program. That is what I want to be a part of; because of that, I am more than willing to commit my time and effort to the Strawberry Festival."
Hazel's favorite subjects are History and English because she likes analyzing, reading and finding deeper meaning and emotion in literature. She is on the Marysville Mighty Marlins swim team, a writer with the Pinewood Neighborhood Newsletter, Class of 2027 Cabinet and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Young Women. She has varsity lettered all three years in swimming, junior varsity for tennis, and a Student of the Quarter for 2021-22. She wants to attend Utah State University, or the University of Puget Sound.
Princess Katherine Carlson - Junior, Marysville Getchell High School
Princess Katherine Carlson
Princess Katherine wanted to be involved in the Strawberry Festival because she has been deeply grateful for the support and opportunities that the Marysville community has provided her through my academic, athletic and personal journey. Royalty would offer a meaningful way for her to give back to the community as she values service-oriented leadership.
"I am more than thankful for the chance to engage more fully with community members on our local traditions and contribute positively through this royalty and ambassadorial role. Serving as part of the Strawberry Festival Royalty is both an honor and privilege; I will approach the role with a lot of gratitude and genuine desire to serve for the community." Katherine's favorite school subject is AP English Literature. She enjoys the challenge of finding connections between scripts and movies and sometimes hidden symbolism involved, which has helped build on her analysis and creative writing skills.
She has been a member of the Mighty Marlins Swim Club for 10 years. It's a year-round competitive program, but she also has time to compete as a varsity swimmer for her high school, earning numerous awards. She serves as a WEB leader in middle school and continued leadership development as a LINK crew member, guiding incoming freshmen to the school. She wants to attend a four-year university where she can remain heavily involved athletics - with a swim team, of course. She also wants to travel the world and experience a wide range of cultures.
Prince Malachi Bassett - Junior, Marysville Getchell High School
Prince Malachi Bassett
Prince Malachi know that being part of the Royalty requires a large commitment of time as well as a serious commitment to the community, but he's ready to jump right in. He wants to be able to reach people. "From volunteering at events to waving at kids during a parade, I would love to be a part of this community," Malachi says. "I have seen how great being a part of the Strawberry Festival has been for people I know. I have seen how much they love doing it, and I have seen the amazing connections that they have built along their own journeys in the program. That is what I want to be a part of; because of that, I am more than willing to commit my time and effort to the Strawberry Festival.” Malachi's favorite subject is Drama. It allow him to express himself though art in ways that other subjects won't. His list of clubs and organizations includes Drama Club and National Honor Society at Marysville Getchell. He hopes to attend the University of Washington. He would love to make art that puts a significan impact on people's lives. He also loves to make music. He enjoys volunteering, something he has done before with the Strawberry Festival, as just one example.
A look back at the 2024-25 Strawberry Festival Royalty Court
Current Scholarship Payout
2026 Qualifications/ Requirements
- Applicants must be homeschooled and attend and live within the Marysville / Lakewood School District boundaries
- Applicants MUST have a family member/Legal Guardian (over 21) able to attend parades if requested
- Applicants must currently be a high school Junior or Senior
- Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0
- Applicants must have a cumulative attendance record of 90%
- Applicants must be of good moral character, cannot be married, cannot have children or be pregnant during their reign
- Applicants cannot cohabitate with an intimate partner during their reign
- Applicants will at no time drink alcoholic beverages, smoke, or vape in public or knowingly participate in any illegal activity or detrimental behavior breaking this rule will result in immediate dismissal
- The Official Marysville Strawberry Festival Royalty Court will consist of 4 members.
- Once the Royalty's reign is completed, they are no longer eligible to apply for the Royalty Court in the future
- Any scholarship monies will be awarded after the completion of the one-year reign. Monies are for books and tuition only, and must be used within 3 years of high school graduation. Scholarship monies will be sent directly to the chosen college/university
