St. Mary’s Academy student first named to 2026 Rose Festival Court
Published 1:42 pm Wednesday, March 4, 2026
St. Mary’s Academy has selected its 2026 Rose Festival Court Princess, marking the first of more to come in the following weeks.
Without further ado, let’s meet Olivia Baker, a senior at St. Mary’s Academy in Portland.
Future education plans: Baker plans to attend a four-year university to study psychology, child development or elementary education career plans, including occupations as a child development specialist, pediatric occupational therapist, or teacher.
High School Activities & Honors:
- Honors during sophomore and junior year
- St. Mary’s Academy Certificate of Excellence for anatomy and physiology 1
- Second team all-league volleyball
- School ambassador
- Spirit squad captain
Hobbies and special interest:
I am very engaged in my school community, as well as the volleyball community. I love representing my school, and helping cultivate an environment where everyone feels safe be their best selves while developing into amazing people. Whether that’s helping underclassmen bond with others during their freshmen retreat, or being a resource for prospective eighth grade students, I truly enjoy sharing and extending the St. Mary’s community to anyone I can. I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends, hiking, bowling, playing games and traveling.
What is your favorite place to visit in Portland and why?
The Washington Park Playground is one of many places that I love to visit in Portland. As I’ve gotten older, I still love to visit, but now I walk up the street to the International Rose Test Garden to just walk through the flowers or I go over to the Japanese Garden nearby. The city of Portland has so many unique features that make this place my home, and I love showing new people places like the gardens, the zoo, Powell’s Books, and so many more things that make Portland such an incredible place to live.
What are you most proud of during your high school career?
I am most proud of my English journey and resilience in my English classes. I used to not be a fan of English until I took my tenth grade English class. After sophomore year, I challenged myself and took AP language and composition. This class was very challenging for me, and I savored every moment of it. We were given a task of writing a piece within a specified amount of time. This type of writing was a struggle for me and required lots of practice outside of class. I continued to work hard in and out of class, continually going in for office hours, reviewing tests, and revising papers as well as timed writes. At the end of the year, I scored a four on my AP test. I worked so hard for that four, and I am so proud of myself. It feels incredibly rewarding to push myself outside of my comfort zone and to work hard at skill that I wasn’t confident with and then master it in the end.
What is your favorite Rose Festival event and why?
I love all of the Rose Festival, beginning with the start at City Fair to the Starlight Run/Parade, Dragon Boat Races, Fleet Week and the Grand Floral Parade. My favorite event is the crowning of the Rose Festival Queen’s Coronation.
The following responses from the Portland Rose Festival Foundation have been edited for clarity.
Stay tuned as more princesses are announced.
