Betsy Gomez-Aviles: Washington Apple Blossom Royalty Top 10 Candidate

We are talking to the top ten candidates for the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty this week on NewsRadio 560 KPQ/FM 101.7

Candidates compete in the Cashmere Valley Bank Royalty Selection Pageant at the Numerica PAC on Saturday, Feb. 10th  The Queen and two Princesses will be crowned to reign over the 105th Washington State Apple Blossom Festival April 25th - May 5th, 2024 in Wenatchee, WA.

Check back here to learn more about each of the hopefuls for this year's Royal Court

Meet 2024 Apple Blossom Royalty Top 10 Candidate Betsy Gomez-Aviles

Betsy is the daughter of Alberto Gomez and Celine Aviles.  She is a senior at Wenatchee High School.

KPQ:  Betsy, thanks for joining us and congratulations on your selection to the Top 10 Royalty candidates.  Let's hear about your volunteer and extra curricular activity.

BGA:  My main extra curricular activity at school, I would say is mariachi. I've been involved in the mariachi program for seven years now, since sixth grade.  I play the violin but I've been playing the violin since I was nine. So that's almost nine years now.  I was also a varsity cheerleader for three years but I would usually do fall season so like football season.  I was secretary for the associated student body at Wenatchee Valley College.  I'm also a running start student part time. So I have a couple classes at the college and a couple at the high school.

I also like to volunteer at some of our local daycares.  My mom and some of my aunts have at home daycare, so I will I usually volunteer there after school or whenever I have the time.

KPQ:  You are serving in leadership role with the Associated Student Body at Wenatchee Valley College. How is that helping you?

BGA:  I feel like that position really exposed me to a whole new environment, which is a college and an adult environment. And I think that it's prepared me for the real world and what lies ahead once I graduate.  It's definitely exposed me to a lot of new people.

KPQ:  . What are you planning to do after graduation?

BGA:  My entire life, I always thought that I was going to go into the medical field. And it wasn't until this year that I decided that was all going to change because I did not like chemistry!   So I'm planning on pursuing or majoring in political science. And I want to study at the University of Washington, so I'm just waiting to hear back a decision from them. And I hope to become an immigration attorney.

KPQ:   Good luck with your future plans.  Do you have a favorite class at Wenatchee High School or WVC that has has really inspired you?

BGA: I would definitely say my Avid class has completely changed my life, especially in high school. My sophomore year, I had a teacher at the high school Mr. Dotzauer, my absolute favorite teacher in the world and his class and his motivation has pushed me to be where I'm at right now. I really don't think that I would be as successful as I am in my life right now if it wasn't because of his great teaching.  He always pushes us to succeed in whatever we do in our lives.

KPQ:  What Apple Blossom memories do look back on?

BGA:  Oh my gosh, I love performing at the Food Fair. I performed there every year except for COVID year with my mariachi class. The first year was in the sixth grade back in 2017.  That's just my favorite event of the year. It's my favorite performance and something that I look forward to each year because it really allows us share our love for our music and culture to our whole community.

KPQ:  When you are performing at the park, what is your favorite Apple Blossom Food Fair item?

BGA:  The fry guys, I love their curly fries. That's the first thing that me and my mom get every single year!  The food fair is actually on our way to our house when we take a certain path. So we'll often just stop there like every couple of days for the curly fries. Definitely my favorite!

KPQ: I have asked each Top Ten Candidate to consider, outside of themselves, who would make a deserving selection to the Royal Court?

BGA:  Well of course I've gotten the opportunity to meet the other nine girls and I love each and every single one of them. And I would be happy with whoever gets into the top three, but I really think that Esty Gonzalez would be a great choice. She's just the sweetest girl ever. She has the kindest heart. She's always so nice to everybody and she really would be such a good representative for our community.

KPQ:  How long have you considered the idea of trying to be selected to the Apple Blossom Royalty?

BGA:  I've lived in the Wenatchee Valley my entire life and I've seen Apple Blossom royalty as a little girl growing up in our community.  I think it's something that we all want to pursue. I always had a small idea that this might be something that I would like to do my senior year. And it wasn't until maybe a couple of days before our mandatory parent meeting that I decided you know, this is something I'm actually going to do and something that I want to pursue. 

Learn more about Betsy Gomez-Aviles

Betsy Gomez is the daughter of Alberto Gomez and Celina Aviles. Betsy has been involved in the Mariachi program in Wenatchee for 6 years now, and this year she is the Vice President for the mariachi program’s advanced group. Betsy has also been involved in cheerleading at her high school for 3 years now. Betsy is a Running Start student at Wenatchee Valley College, and has a job as a barista at one of our local Starbucks stores. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the violin, going on hikes, working out with her friends, and going to concerts. After graduation, Betsy plans to major in Political Science at the University of Washington.

Betsy’s favorite TV show is Gilmore Girls and her favorite movie is The Princess and the Frog. Her favorite song is Find Your Love by Drake, and her favorite book is The Bible. Betsy is most inspired by her mother, Celina, and her most treasured keepsake is her golden necklace given to her on her baptism day by her godparents.

Betsy’s favorite thing to do in the Wenatchee Valley, besides Apple Blossom, is to go on hikes around town and eating at local restaurants downtown with her friends and family. Her proudest moment in life was bringing home the 2nd place title in high school mariachis at a national competition in Albuquerque this past July. If Betsy could trade places with anyone for a day, she would trade places with Kamala Harris. Betsy feels she should represent the Wenatchee Valley because she is a very outgoing person who has deep love for our valley, and because she would love to bring some diversity to the Apple Blossom Festival.