Roses in Spring! Portland Rose Festival Princess Crowned
St. Mary's Academy honored to crown senior, Piper Winder as 2023 Rose Festival Princess
In an assembly held Monday, March 13, our very own Piper Winder entered the esteemed group of 15 students in the Portland-Metro area high schools who have been crowned Rose Festival Princesses. The Rose Festival Court is a 115-year Portland tradition with a mission to provide scholarships for higher education, promote community outreach and volunteerism, and offer networking and mentoring opportunities to these outstanding young women.
Piper vividly remembers the time a Rose Festival Court Princess visited her fourth-grade classroom. “I was awestruck,” she said of the experience. “Not only was she this beautiful person, but she looked like me, spoke Chinese like me and had enchanting social skills. I knew from then on that I wanted to be a role model just like her.”
At St. Mary’s, Piper has co-led the Asian Pacific Islander Club (APIC) for the last two years, helping facilitate the “Rice Around the World,” event where affinity groups on campus collaborated to share their cultural rice dishes. She has also been a member of the varsity swim team her freshman and sophomore year, making it to the state finals both years. Today, she’s a member of the Beta Blues Robotics team. Piper has also recently joined the Rose City Rowing Club, enjoying the community aspect of the sport.
When she’s not in the classroom, or on the river, Piper enjoys baking. She loves the precise science of mixing ingredients to create something delicious. “It’s not just the act of baking that provides fun in my life but also the act of sharing the baked goods. Putting in the time and effort to make something from scratch then scheduling time to meet with a friend and giving them the fruits of my hard labor brings me joy.”
Rose Festival Court members receive one-on-one mentorship with top female executives from Unitus Community Credit Union, a $3,500 scholarship from The Randall Group valid for any accredited college, university or trade program, a complete travel wardrobe including shoes and accessories, and a lifetime of enduring friendships with their Rose Festival Court sisters.
St. Mary's is proud to be part of this time-honored Portland celebration from the beginning, with alumna Carrie Lee Chamberlain as the first ever Rose Festival Queen, in 1908. We wish Piper the very best of luck as she continues to participate in the Rose Festival Court!