Regina Pullens: Maranatha’s Rose Princess

This year, Maranatha is honored to have one of our own represented on the Tournament of Roses’ Royal Court. Regina Pullens, a 17 year old senior, was chosen earlier this year to be on the Court and we were able to talk to her about some of her responsibilities, highlights so far, and the group dynamics of the Court.

Being a Rose Princess is an extremely time-consuming task. On an average week, Regina has training from 3:00-8:00 p.m. on Mondays, a day off on Tuesdays (although this is not guaranteed), and events every day from Wednesday-Sunday. These events often cause her to leave school midday and can last until 8:00 p.m. The events include serving the community and appearing at various functions. Regina says, “So far, some of the highlights include going to Huntington Hospital and trick-or-treating with the patients. We also went to Villa Esperanza, which is a school for autistic kids, and it’s been a lot of fun.” Regina has also enjoyed photo shoots with the Court where they got to dress in their gowns and crowns and take pictures to be hung in the Tournament House.

When asked what the most surprising thing about being on the Court is, Regina stated, “I’ve probably been most shocked by the amount of public speaking we do. I didn’t know we would have to do that at every event! I was shocked by how much people support you. I didn’t realize that so many people know about the Tournament of Roses and Royal Court and it’s really cool to go to events where people are supporting you and cheering you on”. She says that this experience has really helped with her public speaking abilities and that public speaking is much less intimidating for her. When asked about what her unofficial role on the Court is, Regina replied jokingly, “My role is probably keeping the group fun and lighthearted because, you know, I’m a pretty funny person, so I’m more of the jokester of the group I’d say”. She says that being on the Court has given her lots of confidence and has made it very easy for her to be herself – a very important skill to learn.

Coming from a Christian background, we asked Regina if she has had a chance to share her faith. “Most of the people who are involved with the Tournament of Roses are already very Christian-oriented so I think we all have similar views.” Regina says that she receives many questions about Maranatha and has enjoyed seeing various Maranatha alum pointing her out and making a connection.

Regina’s parents are very involved in her life and have supported her every step of the way. She said, “My parents are so excited; I think they’re more excited than I am! They’re probably excited to see all their hard work and investment pay off and get to see their daughter do something like this”. Regina’s parents have encouraged her since the beginning and gave their fair share of parental advice. Regina says that their advice was instrumental in her making it onto the Court because, “They said, ‘just be yourself’, and in the very beginning of this process they said, ‘Whatever God has for you is for you; no one can take it away from you.’ That really calmed me down going into interviews, and now I’m on the court!”

Maranatha High School, 169 S. St. John Avenue, Pasadena, (626) 817-4000 or visit www.maranatha-hs.org.