Portland Rose Festival 2024 Court Member from Ida B. Wells Announcement

The Rose Festival Princess from Ida B. Wells High School, Mackenzie Devereux, was selected March 7. Mackenzie is a senior and expects to graduate this June. After graduation, Mackenzie will pursue a career as a Quantum Biophysics researcher and surgeon. 

The Rose Festival Court includes 15 outstanding students from Portland, Metro East and Metro West high schools. The court provides higher education scholarships funded by The Randall Group, promotes volunteerism, facilitates networking and encourages an appreciation for the history and traditions of the Portland Rose Festival. Throughout the season, the court will travel across the state to learn, volunteer, and participate in community and Rose Festival events. 

Mackenzie looks forward to the opportunity to continue serving her community on the court. Over her four years at school, she has grown to recognize that she “received not only an education but a voice.” She continued, “Speaking out about gender equality, exploring medical research and collaborating with passionate students and faculty to create an inclusive culture at Ida B Wells has been profoundly meaningful. Not only as a future physician, but an active member of my community, serving others is where I find fulfillment and is also exemplified in those who serve on the court. I hope to have the honor of connecting with similarly impassioned students from across the city to continue serving our communities with dedication and altruism.” 

Looking forward to the festivities ahead, Mackenzie fondly recalls the Fred Meyer Junior Parade as a cherished event. “The junior parade holds a special place in my heart.” Mackenzie shares, “It is a particularly fond memory I look back on, sitting on the sidewalk watching local kids and organizations march down the street by the old Hollywood Theatre.”