Mason County Forest Festival Court crowned

Five teens Saturday were crowned the new members of the Mason County Forest Festival Royalty Court at the Shelton School District Performing Arts Center at Shelton High School.

Shelton High School senior Kodee Galloway was named Queen of the Forest and North Mason High School senior Grant Galbraith is Paul Bunyan. Cedar High School senior Jasmine Mejia is Princess of Douglas Fir, Shelton High School junior Ashley Hermenegildo is Princess of Hemlock and Shelton High School junior Lane Stoney is Timber the Axe Man.

They were selected from seven contestants. During the next year, the five teens will read to children, speak to civic groups and help generate enthusiasm for the Mason County Forest Festival, which will be May 29 through June 1.

Saturday's coronation also marked the introduction of the Junior Royalty Court. These students in grades six through eight will march in the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade and appear at festival events. The 2025 Junior Royalty Court members are Southside School seventh-grader Emberlie Ehlers, Oakland Bay Junior High School seventh-grader Adelae Collie, Mason County Christian School seventh-grader Annie Hageman, Columbia Virtual Academy sixth-grader Abigail Arevalo, Southside School seventh-grader Melissa Solano-Martinez, Oakland Bay Junior High School seventh-grader Caroline Cooper, Pioneer School seventh-grader Emma Wilson and Southside sixth-grader Yana Santa Cruz.

JoAnn Mell was named the grand marshal for the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade. According to a news release from festival coordinators, "JoAnn's dedication to the Forest Festival is legendary. With a nearly complete button collection and her signature red velvet logger's hat, she has been a champion of this cherished event for decades."

The news release added, "But JoAnn's contributions extend far beyond the festival. She has spent nearly a decade at Southside School - so loved that they hired her just to keep her around! She's been a Girl Scout and Boy Scout leader, a Little League coach, a Lions Club volunteer and a key player in OysterFest. And if you've ever had a craving for thin mints, you might just have JoAnn to thank - she's been Mason County's official Girl Scout cookie distributor for 35-plus years."

More than 600 students submitted art for consideration for the 2025 button art. The winning entry was created by Hood Canal seventh-grader Lin Spichiger.

The finalists were Hood Canal third-grader Harper Myirsky, Hood Canal eighth-grader Lindy June Kaufman, North Mason High School senior Grant Galbraith, Cedar High School junior Mimi Smith, Oakland Bay Junior High School seventh-grader Caroline Cooper, Olympic Middle School sixth-grader Isa Gaspar Zacharias and Olympic Middle School fifth-grader Lydia DeHart.

The Royalty Scholarship sponsors include the Phyllis and Duane Fuenther Memorial Fund, the Shelton Rotary Club, the Skookum Rotary Club, the Kristmastown Kiwanis Club and the Shelton Kiwanis Club. Organizers thank KMAS, Cooper Studios, Sells Custom, the Stoney family and Explore Hood Canal.