After the cancellation of Tulip Time this spring in Pella, a group of high school seniors has been trying to make the most of a season in which they couldn’t share their traditional journey across the community and the state to promote Pella’s most important event.

Tulip Queen Hanna Kendall and the Royal Court of Molly Bolt, Courtney Chaplin, Jocelyn Gritters, and Ellie Roorda were able to get their first traditional performance at Keenagers completed and their official portrait taken just before closures and restrictions on gatherings were rapidly implemented with the spread of COVID-19 in Iowa.

Kendall says the group has been trying to embrace the difficult situation as best as they can, attending events when possible and safe, including a few car parades in the community, as well as helping Pella Historical Society and Museums with social media videos and a special delivery of flowers to retirement homes and Pella Historical members last weekend.

“We’ve been given a lot of opportunities just to be together and a part of our community — with social distancing, of course,” Kendall says. “We’ve been virtually practicing our program to prepare for a possible later performance, so we’re just trying to make the best of a situation and know that we still have each other to make it through.”

Hear more about Kendall and the 2020 Royal Court with special profiles on each girl daily next week, starting Monday on 92.1 KRLS, and hear more from all five girls on Monday’s Let’s Talk Pella.