This year’s Sierra Madre Rose Float, Valentine’s Day, obviously lends itself to the theme of couples.  So this year, instead of having four princesses, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association named two princesses, and name two young men to act as their escorts, giving young guys an opportunity to be on the Royal Court for the first time in about a decade.

This year’s court consists of Alexandra Flores, age 17, of Maranatha High School and Hanna Lisa Storlie, age 16, of Alverno High School, who were selected as Princesses.  Selected to be their escorts were Tim Crilly, age 16, of St. Francis High School and Andrew Pirrone, age 17, of Pasadena High School.

The court represents the Rose Float Association as well as the City at events throughout the year, and this year they have a very busy schedule right off the bat.  They assisted Santa Claus at Dickens Village in Sierra Madre on Nov. 16^th and 17^th, then introduced themselves to the Association at large at the General Meeting, held in the Rose Float Barn on Sunday, Nov. 18^th.  They were then introduced to the general community via live television at the City Council meeting on Nov. 27^th, followed by their first real public speaking setting at the Sierra Madre Kiwanis meeting, held Dec. 4^th. 

Coming up, they will appear December 10^th at 7:15pm before the Garden Club (at the Senior Ctr.), December 11^th at 7:00am at the Rotary Club Breakfast (Café 322), December 12^th at 11:30am at the Woman’s Club Luncheon (Essick House), December 13^th at 7:15pm before the Civic Club (in the Senior Center) and Dec. 17^th at the British Home.  After that, their schedule picks up.  The last two weeks of the year, they will of course be active at the Rose Float Barn, during the final days of preparation of the Float for the Tournament of Rose Parade on Jan. 1^st.  The big day isn’t the end of it, as they will be appearing in Kersting Court while the Float is on display, usually on Jan. 3^rd and/or 4^th.  Then, finally, the schedule slows down some, with appearances becoming less of a whirlwind, and more of a smattering.

I sat in on the Kiwanis meeting on Tuesday, and found out a lot about the four high school students who have been selected to represent the City not only at local events like these, but in front of tens of millions of parade viewers worldwide on New Year’s Day.   

First up to speak was Hanna Lisa Storlie, a junior at Alverno.  She lives with her parents, a 10-year old sister, two pugs, three parakeets and a whole bunch of fish in her back yard pond.  She is involved with the Drama Club and the Ambassador Club.

Her first two years of high school, she played on the volleyball team, where she says she learned about teamwork and self-confidence.  She’s also taking a video production class, which requires that she get to school early (7am), and which also gives her the opportunity to appear on TV in front of the whole school.  She’s also been in the school’s spring musical production the last two years, last year playing one of the Wickersham Brothers in Seussical the Musical.  “I think musicals are a great combination of talent that I’m blessed to be a part of.  Though the practices and rehearsals are time consuming, the grand outcome is definitely worth the pride of a great performance.”

After an unsuccessful early stab at piano, she now follows in her father’s footsteps, playing the guitar.

She has lived in Sierra Madre her entire life, and has wonderful memories of her early years when she lived in the Canyon, including trips to Mary’s Market, and Halloween.  Recently, her family moved out of the Canyon, and they have a great view of the City.  Shortly after the move, her father was diagnosed with throat cancer, which was a difficult time, but with the love and support of family and friends, her family got through it, and he is now cancer-free.

In the future, she’s interested in interior design, and hopes to attend FIDM College (Fashion Institute Design and Merchandising), with an end goal of designing sets for movies and television.

What she loves most about Sierra Madre is its size.  “It’s perfect.  There aren’t too many people and everyone is so friendly.  I’m really proud to live in this All-America City.  Not many people can say that nowadays, but I think it’s pretty cool.”

Click photo to enlarge

Click photo to enlarge

Next to speak was Alexandra Flores, a senior at Maranatha.  Her favorite area of study is life science, and this year, she is the ASB Commissioner of Service, where she creates and coordinates volunteer opportunities for her fellow students.  Weekends, she spends a lot of time rooting on her school’s athletes, as part of a cheering group called Code Red, so named for the color that the fans wear to show their support.  She is also active in her Church’s youth group.

She was born in Pasadena and lived in lower Hastings Ranch until she was about eight, when her family moved to Sierra Madre.  “I absolutely love Sierra Madre, and the people who make up the town. There is no other city in Los Angeles County like it.  Everyone is always so kind and friendly, and willing to give a helping hand, sometimes even two.”  She feels especially blessed to represent the town she treasures, and where she grew up.  She learned to swim at the Rec. Center, watched her two younger brothers play baseball at Heasley Field, and attended countless concerts in Memorial Park.  She has been in and watched many 4^th of July parades, enjoyed the art fairs and the Wistaria Festival.  “Mt. Wilson Trail and Bailey Canyon will also be a part of my many memories, as well as the expression ‘I’ll meet you at Kersting Court.’”

She hopes to go to a small college, and train to be a physical therapist, a profession she chose after spending more than a year in physical therapy herself with knee injuries.  “As a physical therapist, you get to interact with people all day, and help them rebuild their strength and confidence.”

The first escort to speak was Timothy Crilly, a junior at St. Francis in La Canada.  Crilly attended St. Rita’s for nine years, graduating in 2005.  He and his family have lived in town for seven years, but they were actively involved in the City for many years - “I’ve practically grown up in this city.”

Crilly is on the varsity football team, and is actively involved with a group called Brotherhood of Christian Athletes.  It’s a service club that helps in the community with things like tutoring and participating with other service organizations, and recently it participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk at Dodger Stadium.

He’s a lifeguard and has taught swim lessons at the pool.  He’s a member of Boy Scout Troop 110 at St. Rita’s and hopes to achieve his Eagle Scout.  “We help out every year with the Art Fair, the Wistaria Festival and the Mt. Wilson Trail Race.  Sierra Madre has been very important to me, it’s a small town where everybody knows everybody, and there’s always something to do…Sierra Madre is a small town, that is small in size but large in character.

He hopes to study kinesiology (sports medicine) in college.  He’s very interested in the medical field, and hopes to become a paramedic or become involved in some other medical field.

Click photo to enlarge

Click photo to enlarge

Andrew Pirrone was the last of the four to speak.  He is the oldest of five children, with two brothers and two sisters.  His family moved to Sierra Madre when he was three.

He’s a senior at Pasadena High, and is secretary of the National Honor Society and has been involved with the California Scholarship Federation all four years.  He’s the president of the Science Club, treasurer of the Italian Club and won the Harvard Book Award, given for maintaining a balance between grades and extra-curricular activities.  He’s been on the swim team for three years (winning the Most Dedicated award), and the water polo team for four years.  He enjoys hiking up Jones Peak, reading, and playing baseball with his brothers in the front yard.  He also enjoys working in his yard, a hobby inspired by a large patch of dirt that he decided to work with one day when they had some extra plants, and found he enjoyed designing and putting together a yard.  He is currently applying to colleges as a landscape architect major.

He attended St. Rita’s for nine years, and still is involved at the church as an altar server.  He has volunteered at the library, and he attended a Rotary Youth Leadership Camp sponsored entirely by Rotary.  “I greatly appreciated this experience, which has helped me when working with others, especially in leadership roles.”