At age nine, Caitlin Daniels saw her babysitter crowned as Miss Woodland. That memory in part inspired Daniels to try to become royalty for Woodland Planters Days.
“I looked up to her and thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Daniels, Woodland Planters Days princess, said. “And, here I am today.”
Three princesses, all high school juniors, will compete during Woodland Planters Days for the queen title. Each princess earned a $1,000 scholarship and the queen title secures an additional $1,000 scholarship.
The queen is chosen based on points earned from ticket selling, community service and an interview with judges.
In 2017, the program added an incentive of $500 for the queen if she attends additional events and helps with the incoming court for the next year, Court Chaperone Lesa Beuscher said.
“It has been challenging to say the least. The royal court usually attends about 35 events and many of those have been canceled. I felt horrible for the 2020 Royal Court,” Beuscher wrote in an email.
The princesses brainstormed new events with COVID-19 in mind. The group came up with Woodland Rocks.
They painted 42 rocks and hid them around Woodland. If someone finds one, or multiple, they are told to take a picture with it and post the picture to the Woodland Rocks Facebook event. Participants are then entered into a drawing to win a prize donated by local businesses.
Caitlyn Elkinton, another Planters Days princess, has been involved in the Woodland High School drama club and the National Honor Society. Elkinton will also serve as the Associated Student Body treasurer for the 2021-22 school year.
She regularly volunteers for community events, like Make a Difference Day and Christmas Round-Up. She also delivers flowers on Valentine’s Day to elderly women.
When Elkinton has free time on her hands, she enjoys playing with her dogs and expressing herself through drawing.
“Everyone in our community is tight-knit and will never hesitate to help each other,” she wrote in her princess application.
Daniels is a full-time Running Start student at Clark College. She spends several hours participating in extracurricular activities, like jazz choir, National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America as the vice president.
For the national nonprofit March of Dimes, Daniels raised money for prematurity awareness. She also made blankets for a local children’s hospital.
Planters Days princess Gracie Shoemaker is involved in 4-H where she trains show dogs for showmanship, obedience and agility.
Shoemaker worked at the Dairy Wives booth at the Clark County Fair, before the pandemic. She also participated in the Christmas Round-Up and Make a Difference Day.
Shoemaker’s mother was crowned Miss Woodland, which would make them the first mother-daughter team if she were to win the queen title.
“The court this year has unfortunately not been given all the chances as past years, but we have done as much as we can,” Daniels said.
The coronation is set for June 20 at 7 p.m. via Facebook Live.
