Cheney High School Senior Hayden Bowdish added a few new items to her wardrobe recently, including Lilac colored dresses, a sparkling sash and a crown that identifies her as Queen of the Spokane Lilac Association’s Royal Court.
Bowdish was one of 16 Spokane County teens who were named as Lilac Association ambassadors representing their high school. That group was narrowed down to seven finalists and Bowdish was named Queen after a round of interviews and speeches before a panel of judges.
Bowdish recalls the moment she heard her name called as Queen. “I was taken aback, to say the least,” she said. “The first thing I thought was, I wanted to talk to my mom.”
She was congratulated by her fellow princesses and accepted her crown and cape, but as soon as she could she got off stage and found her mother. “As a single working mom, she fought really hard to make sure I have opportunities like this,” she said. “She was sobbing and then I started sobbing. It was really emotional.”
The other members of the 2026 Royal Court are: Ava Hubble, University High School; Ava Payne, East Valley High School; Chloe Nelson, Spokane Valley Tech; Kahlan Cartmell, Shadle Park High School; Naliesha Richardson, Gonzaga Preparatory School; and Simone Kaczmark, Lewis and Clark High School.
Bowdish has lived in Spokane County since she was born, spending time living near downtown Spokane, in north Spokane and in Spokane Valley before moving to Cheney as she was preparing to start high school. She said it was a switch to attend a high school in a small town rather than the more urban areas she was used to, but she’s glad to be in Cheney.
“It’s offered me a lot more opportunities than I would have had everywhere else,” she said.
Bowdish is very involved in extracurricular activities, but has always gravitated toward clubs and leadership opportunities instead of sports. She’s currently the ASB social media manager, a member of executive leadership, a member of Key Club and a member of Deca, where she works as a barista in the school’s coffee shop.
Last year Bowdish signed up for a NW Peer2Peer mentor. The mentorship program matches older students with younger, low-income students to help guide them through high school and into their future. Bowdish said at the time she was really worried about applying for college and how she was going to afford college. She said her mentor helped her set up her future for success.
“She was so insightful,” she said. “She helped me a lot.”
Bowdish said she was delighted when she was asked to switch roles and mentor a younger student this year. She has since been matched with a freshman who she meets with once a month. “She is a ray of sunshine,” Bowdish said. “It’s great being on the outside and seeing her achieve her goals.”
Bowdish said she anticipates being able to juggle her new duties with her school work and extracurricular activities. She said her teachers have been supportive, often asking how they can help. “It really does involve a lot of communication, for sure,” she said.
When Bowdish first attended an orientation for the Lilac Royal Court program, she was nervous. She said her nerves settled after they were shown a video featuring the previous Lilac Court, who talked about how they grew as people and what their experience was like in the program. “It definitely was intimidating at first,” she said. “Then they started talking about the opportunities.”
She and the other 16 school ambassadors spent nine weeks together getting training in everything from financial literacy to self-defense. “You get to know each other very well,” she said. “We still hang out together outside of Lilac.”
Bowdish said her job as Queen is to be the head spokesperson for the Lilac Court and to advocate for the Association’s mission to honor the military, empower youth and showcase the region.
She’s also becoming used to being approached by young girls in public, drawn in by her sash and lilac crown, excited about meeting a Queen. Some even wave at her using their best princess wave.
She said the princesses in the Lilac Court are a great group and supportive of her. “I’m so excited,” she said.
Still, her calendar is packed between now and the Lilac Association’s showcase event, the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade on May 16 in downtown Spokane. She now spends portions of her days mapping out upcoming events and helping select which princesses are best suited for particular tasks during those events.
She said she encourages anyone considering applying to be a member of the Lilac Court in the future to go for it. The most important thing to remember is to make sure you’re being your authentic self, Bowdish said.
“You’re enough as you are and you’ll find your place,” she said.
Cheney High School Senior Hayden Bowdish was selected as the 2026 Lilac Festival Queen after rounds of interviews and speeches over 9 weeks. She will be the spokesperson for the Lilac Court and help advocate for the Associations mission to honor the military, empower youth and showcase the region.
Q. What made you decide to apply to be a part of the Lilac Court?
A. I applied to be part of the Lilac Royalty Program because I wanted to engage with my hometown and give back to the city that raised me. Events like the Lilac Festival shaped my childhood, so when I saw a flyer seeking candidates at my school all the way out in Cheney, I jumped at the opportunity. I attended an orientation to better understand the program, and after hearing about the empowering experiences from last year’s court and how they contributed to something greater than themselves, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue.
Q. Can you describe the steps you went through during the selection process?
A. My journey began in January alongside 16 other ambassadors representing our high schools. Over nine weeks, we developed skills ranging from financial literacy to self-defense, while volunteering with organizations like Habitat for Humanity. We then participated in roundtable interviews, delivered a one-minute speech on our Lilac journey, and responded to judged impromptu questions. The 2026 court was then selected through final interviews with an independent panel. From there, the seven of us advanced to coronation, which included private interviews with a new panel, a prepared impromptu response, an unprepared response, and a two-minute speech centered on the theme “Embrace.”
Q. What are you most looking forward to during your time as Queen?
A. I’m most looking forward to Lilac Festival week and the regional parades that follow. We’ve spent months preparing for these moments, so the anticipation has been building. It will be incredibly rewarding to finally experience the energy that Lilac brings to our community, and even more meaningful to represent that spirit beyond Spokane. This program connects people in so many ways, and I’m honored to help showcase that as Queen.
Q. Can you describe your work as a NW Peer2Peer mentor and what got you involved in that?
A. As a NW Peer2Peer mentor, I work one-on-one with low-income underclassmen to help them navigate their current lives and optimize opportunities for their future. I meet with my mentee monthly to offer guidance, support, and any resources they might need. What makes this role especially meaningful to me is that I was once a mentee myself, experiencing first-hand the barriers between a low-income background and future goals. Being able to come back and support someone from that place of understanding is what makes it so important to me.
Q. What are your future plans after high school?
A. Following graduation, I will attend the Washington State University Honors College as a top scholar, double majoring in Management Information Systems and Accounting. I love numbers just as much as I love service-based leadership, and I hope to build a career that combines both. My long-term goal is to work in Corporate Social Responsibility, helping organizations balance profitability with ethical decision-making and holding them accountable to any impacts they may have on the communities they serve.
