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On Tuesday, October 26, The Pasadena Tournament of Roses officially named Nadia Chung as the 103rd Rose Queen at their Announcement and Coronation ceremony — typically held at the Pasadena Playhouse — took place this year on the front steps of Tournament House located on Orange Grove Blvd, the same major thoroughfare in which the annual Rose Parade queues its world-famous floats.
The event — which was skipped due to covid complications last year — was hosted by Lynette Romero, anchor/reporter of the KTLA5 Morning News. The announcement was made by 2022 Pasadena Tournament of Roses President Bob Miller and follows a month-long selection process with students from 24 Pasadena area schools participating in interviews.
The Rose Queen and Royal Court were selected based upon a combination of qualities, including public speaking ability, academic achievement, youth leadership, and community and school involvement.
Nadia is a senior at La Cañada High School and lives in La Cañada. She is currently a journalist for the Los Angeles Times in the High School Insider division, a company member of California Contemporary Youth Ballet, an intern at the Outlook Newsgroup, President of the LCHS Speech and Debate team, coordinator for accessibility in debate education with Beyond Resolved, President of the Mock Trial Team, Managing Editor of the Outspoken Oppa, President of the Mini Mission, President of Concert Choir, Girl Scout Member, Vice President of the Los Angeles MD Junior Chapter, publicity chair for LCHS UNICEF, Secretary for the National English Honor Society and member of the 2020 Miss La Cañada Flintridge Royal Court.
Nadia enjoys training and performing classical ballet, advocating for social justice, reading, writing, hiking with her brother, and spending time with family and friends. In college, she plans to study political science and journalism. She is interested in attending Georgetown, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Northwestern, American University or Brown. Ultimately, Nadia aspires to attend law school and become a civil rights attorney. Nadia is the daughter of Sanah Chung and Sonia Chang and has a brother, Toby.
During the coronation ceremony, President Miller presented Rose Queen Nadia Chung with a Mikimoto crown featuring more than 600 cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds.
2022 Rose Queen Nadia Chung and the 2022 Royal Court will attend numerous community and media functions, serving as ambassadors of the Tournament of Roses, the Pasadena community, and the greater Los Angeles area. Each Royal Court member will receive a $7,500 educational scholarship from the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.
Join us on New Year’s Day to experience the awe and wonder of the floats, bands and equestrian units of the 133rd Rose Parade presented by Honda and the Pac12 and Big10 matchup at the 108th Rose Bowl Game.
Members of the 2022 Royal Court include:
Ava Feldman is a senior at South Pasadena High School and lives in South Pasadena. She is currently Copa de Oro (yearbook) Editor-in-Chief, President of the South Pasadena and San Marino YMCA delegation, Senior Presentation Representative of National Charity League, Vice President of the Teaching and Sharing Skills to Enrich Lives (TASSEL) club, a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient and co-captain of the Varsity Girls Tennis team. Ava enjoys volunteering with children, exploring the surrounding Los Angeles area and spending time with her friends, family and dogs.
She plans to study child development and/or psychology and aspires to be a child psychologist. Ava is interested in attending Vanderbilt, UNC-Chapel Hill, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, University of Virginia, UC San Diego, Tulane, University of Oregon, Santa Clara University, Boston College, American University or The George Washington University. Ava is the daughter of Bradley and Christine Feldman and has two siblings, Olivia and Sophia.
Jeannine Briggs is a senior at John Marshall Fundamental High School and lives in Pasadena. She is currently President of Broadcasting Club, President of Storytellers Club, Vice President of Black Student Union, Secretary of Mock Trials, Secretary of Associated Student Body Class of 2022, member of the National Honors Society, Academy of the Creative Industries, Girls Build L.A., Drama Club, AP Capstone Program Scholar, Jazz Band Vocalist, Intern at Burbank International Film Festival, Intern at Tip Van Jip Communications, member of UCLA Vice Provost Initiative for Pre-College Scholars, Singer and Regular Worship Leader at Lake Avenue Church and a commercial actor with CESD Talent Agency.
Jeannine enjoys singing, acting, piano, studying languages, current events, writing, history, diplomacy, filmmaking and women’s rights advocacy. She plans to study global studies, international relations and journalism. Ultimately, Jeannine would like to attend law school and become a broadcast journalist. She is interested in attending Columbia, USC, UCLA, UC Berkely, University of Utrecht, Maastricht University, Howard, Syracuse or New York University. She is the daughter of Ray and Janneke Briggs and has two sisters, Camille and Simone.
Abigail Griffith is a senior at Pasadena High School and lives in Pasadena. She is currently a Varsity member of the PHS Orchesis Dance Team, a High School Worship Leader at Lake Avenue Church Pasadena, Student Intern at the Gamble House Pasadena, Cashier at Brick and Flour Pasadena, member of PHS’s Class of 2022 Club and Social Media Manager of PHS’s Mental Health Awareness Club.
Abigail enjoys sewing, origami, singing, graphic design, architecture, architectural history/preservation, drawing, painting and studying Hispanic/Latin American culture. She plans to study architecture and aspires to be a licensed architect. Abigail isinterested in attending USC, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Northeastern or Rice University. Abigail is the daughter of Jeff and Teri Griffith and has two siblings, her twin brother Benjamin and younger sister Emma.
Swetha Somasundaram is a senior at Arcadia High School and lives in Temple City. She is currently Secretary of Arcadia Seniors of Merit at Work, Foster Care Outreach Lead of Wave Learning Festival, Student Teacher at Los Angeles Tamil School and a Teacher of Bharatanatyam Dance. Swetha enjoys reading, science, visual/performing arts, singing, dancing, playing the violin, guitar, painting and poetry.
She plans to study biomedical engineering and environmental studies and aspires to be a biomedical engineer turned cancer researcher. Swetha is interested in attending Brown, UNC-Chapel Hill, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins or Tufts University. Swetha is the daughter of Somasundaram Rathinasabapathy and Kalpana Thiyagarajan, and has a younger sister, Sandhiya.
McKenzie Street is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart and lives in Pasadena. She is currently a member of the Tech Team, Girls Who Code Club, Academic Decathlon, Mass and Retreat Leader on Campus Ministry Team and the founder and lead of her school’s Fashion Club.
McKenzie enjoys fashion, playing piano, environmental activism and social justice. She plans to study communications and media while minoring or double majoring in computer science. Ultimately, McKenzie would like to teach computer science to under-represented and underexposed communities, particularly kids. She is interested in attending New York University, Tulane, University of San Francisco, UC San Diego or Fordham. McKenzie is the daughter of Robin and Tamera Street and has a brother, Tyler.
Jaeda Walden is a senior at La Cañada High School and lives in La Cañada. She is currently a member of the Happiness Club, Ocean Buddies Club, Key Club, Operation Smile and varsity volleyball team. She enjoys ceramics, live music, travel, outdoors, beach volleyball, painting, drawing and thrifting. She is interested in studying psychology, kinesiology, business, and/or marketing.
Jaeda would like to attend UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkely, Loyola Marymount, Chapman, New York University, University of Oregon, University of Washington, Stanford or the University of Chicago. Jaeda is the daughter of Ron and Lindsay Walden and has a sister, Luthfia. is a senior at La Cañada High School and lives in La Cañada. She is currently a member of the Happiness Club, Ocean Buddies Club, Key Club, Operation Smile and varsity volleyball team.
She enjoys ceramics, live music, travel, outdoors, beach volleyball, painting, drawing and thrifting. She is interested in studying psychology, kinesiology, business, and/or marketing. Jaeda would like to attend UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkely, Loyola Marymount, Chapman, New York University, University of Oregon, University of Washington, Stanford or the University of Chicago. Jaeda is the daughter of Ron and Lindsay Walden and has a sister, Luthfia.
