High school seniors have lost a lot of the moments so many look forward to in the spring — prom, awards nights, graduation, and their senior night from a spring sport or activity.

For a member of the Pella High School Class of 2020, she shares additional disappointment with four other girls in the community. Ellie Roorda may have lost her final season for Pella High School on the track, but earlier this spring, learned she’d be losing the chance to represent her community during the 85th annual Tulip Time, as she was selected to be a member of this year’s Royal Court this past November.

Roorda says the group, including Queen Hanna Kendall and Attendants Molly Bolt, Courtney Chaplin, and Jocelyn Gritters, are all trying to make the most of a situation in which they won’t be traveling the state to promote a festival that won’t begin this May.

“It has been really difficult and heartbreaking that what we expected isn’t going to happen, but I think it has just made us closer — we’ve talked every day, we’ve Facetimed–even practicing our program (virtually) for one day when we can hopefully present it, and we’ve just tried to stay positive and hopeful that we can try and get in as much as we can this summer and make new memories.”

She is staying as positive as she can in the meantime, and will be turning her attention soon to the next step later this spring, as she intends to compete in cross country and track at Central College this fall.