Before Kent’s Wiley Bowen heads off to college in San Diego later this summer, she’ll be representing the city where she’s lived all of her life as Miss Cornucopia.
Bowen, 18, received the crown during a ceremony on Friday afternoon at Town Square Plaza to help kick off the 45th annual Kent Cornucopia Days festival that runs through Sunday.
Participants in the 20th Miss Cornucopia were judged on their strengths in community service, academics, public speaking and an interview. The Kent Lions Club selected Bowen over three others for the top honor.
“I was quite surprised,” Bowen said in an interview after her crowning. “I’m very happy about it. It’s an amazing honor. I’m really thankful to the Kent Lions Club for it. I’m just very happy I had the opportunity to become Miss Cornucopia.”
A June graduate of Kent-Meridian High School, Bowen will leave later this summer to attend the University of California San Diego. She received a $3,000 scholarship from the Kent Lions for her winning Miss Cornucopia.
Bowen plans to major in international studies.
“I’ve always had a love for Japanese culture and I took Japanese all four years in high school,” she said about her interest in international studies. “I was an ambassador for Kent-Meridian in Osaka between my sophomore and junior years and I have hosted Japanese students. I want to travel there a lot and maybe be a part of some companies there.”
Although Bowen applied to many colleges, a visit to the University of California San Diego persuaded her to pick that school.
“I went to visit and it was a beautiful campus and everyone was really friendly,” she said. “It had a very nice scholastic atmosphere, which was a bit surprising to me because it’s San Diego, but that’s what I’m looking for and it was just a good fit.”
Prior to going to Kent-Meridian, Bowen attended Emerald Park and Lake Youngs elementary schools and Mill Creek Middle School. She is the daughter of Dallas Bowen and Julie McGuire.
Bowen’s uncertain what she might do for a job after college.
“I’m not really sure, I’m still trying to figure it out,” said Bowen, an only child. “But I want to do something that ties in with traveling and interacting with people around the world.”
Leaving Kent for college and traveling won’t change one thing.
“Kent will always be my hometown,” Bowen said. “I am sure I will come back here many times during my life.”
The other princesses who competed for Miss Cornucopia included:
• Tara Hoefig, 17, who will graduate in 2017 from Kentlake High School. She participates in the Green River College running start program and is a student pilot at Rainier Flight Services in Renton. She plans to get a pilot’s license so she can help serve humanitarian programs.
• Lexi Morton, 18, was a princess last year as well. She is a 2016 Kent-Meridian graduate. She competed in volleyball and track and field for the Royals. She participated in the Green River College running start program and will attend Green River for one more year before transferring to the University of Washington.
• Sabrina Hagg, 18, is a 2016 Kent-Meridian graduate. She was a cheerleader for the Royals, and will attend Concordia University in Irvine, Calif.
Students from Kent high schools as well as Green River and Highline colleges are eligible to compete for Miss Cornucopia.
The princesses will be busy this weekend at the Cornucopia Days 5K run and dragon boat races on Saturday and the grand parade on Sunday. They also will represent Kent in various Seafair events.
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