Lincoln High’s Ava Rathi crowned Rose Festival queen

Published 11:59 am Friday, June 6, 2025

By Jason Vondersmith

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Ava Rathi of Lincoln High School is the new Queen of Rosaria. She succeeds Rose Festival queen Kobi Flowers. (Jaime Valdez/Portland Tribune)

There’s a new queen in town, and it’s Ava Rathi of Lincoln High School.

Rathi was crowned Rose Festival Court queen at a ceremony at Oregon Square on Friday. She and 14 other Rose Festival princesses were each selected by schools to be on the Rose Festival Court.

“I am excited to be selected as Queen of Rosaria because I will get to interact with so many people in the City of Portland that I know and love,” said Rathi. “And especially to represent the other 14 incredible members of the 2025 Rose Festival Court.”

Rathi and the other princesses will ride in the Grand Floral Parade on Saturday.

“My favorite part is the Grand Floral Parade!” she said, of the Rose Festival. “I love how it creates so much community spirit as well as this palpable sense of excitement and tradition. I think the parade is a fun and inclusive celebration of Portland.”

She succeeds Kobi Flowers of Jefferson High School as Rose Festival queen.

Rathi is a senior who plans to attend a four-year university and study international affairs, political science and business. “I am interested in a career in international relations or public policy,” she said. She plans to attend Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Some of her high school activities and honors:
  • Created interactive art kits for pediatric patients
  • Captain of Speech & Debate
  • Fifth in state and “Proven Excellence” award in Informative Speaking
  • National qualifier from north Oregon
  • Director of Finance and Civics Tutor for nonprofit Mission: Citizen
  • National Honor Society
  • BWB Forum “Happy Teens Website Design Challenge” winner
  • Mock trial
As far as interests: “I enjoy creating art through drawing, sewing, and painting. I also love reading thriller/mystery novels and watching horror movies. Lastly, I enjoy skiing at Mount Hood,” she said.
What is her favorite place to visit in Portland? “My favorite place to visit in Portland is the Japanese Garden. It has a calm atmosphere and beautiful design. It was one of the first places I visited after moving to this city and I have been enamored with the architecture and nature since I was a kid.”
What is she most proud of from high school years? “One of the things I’m most proud of during my high school career was being in a school play. It was a student-written and acted black box production and completely outside of my comfort zone. However, writing and performing my monologue and working closely with a talented cast gave me some confidence and allowed me to express my creativity in a new way.”

2025 Rose Festival Court

Avari Brocker, La Salle

Addie Glem, Century

Isa Halle, Franklin

Ivette Hernandez, Parkrose

Eleanor Isles, Grant

Sabrina Johnson, Cleveland

Esther Lian, St. Mary’s Academy

Brenda Martinez De Jesus, Benson

Kathy Nguyen, McDaniel

Meerali Patel, Central Catholic

Ava Rathi, Lincoln

Jayden Rendon-Ramirez, David Douglas

Sivan Safran, Ida B. Wells

Janiya Thompson, Jefferson

Gloria Zawadi, Roosevelt

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