Meet Apple Blossom Royalty Top Ten Candidate Dania Cuevas Sandoval

The Top Ten Candidates for the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty will appear 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 ten hopefuls for this year's Royal Court

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Meet 2024 Apple Blossom Royalty Top 10 Candidate Dania Cuevas Sandoval

Dania Cuevas Sandoval is the daughter of Jose Luis and Maria Adriana Cuevas.  She is a senior at Wenatchee High School.

KPQ:  Congratulations Dania on making the Top Ten and thanks for joining us here on kPQ today.  Tell our audience a little about some of your high school extra curricular activities and projects

DCS:   I take part in the high school and the college and in the high school,  I am involved in ignite,  in AVID, track and field and then at the college,  I'm involved as the vice president of ASWVC.  I'm also involved in Meza and in Youth United as treasurer.

KPQ:  Tell us about Ignite.

DCS:  it's a leadership program in which we guide I guess, and mentor new students that are coming into the high school as freshmen and we just give them a tour. And they're able to contact us if they have any problems or questions throughout their experience at the high school.

KPQ:  You also mentioned Mesa?

DCS:  Mesa is a program at the College in which it helps students in STEM. I joined it because I want to go into that fields in the future. And right now it's they've been helping me to get internships or to apply to college, what classes I should take and they helped me get tutoring.

KPQ:  What are your plans after high school graduation and furthering your education?

DCS:  After high school I plan to stay another year and then go into a four year university preferably my dream school.  I want to major in biology and further my education to become a pediatric allergist.

KPQ:  In some of your extracurricular curricular activities, you've had some leadership roles.  How has that experience helped you?

DCS:  As the Vice President of the College Student Association,  it's helped me be more involved in my college, being able to meet new people,  being able to help people and to not just, you know, be so caught up on schools, because we also make events for students.  We actually have an event today, a ping pong tournament. Hopefully students get to go, have a little fun.

KPQ:  What's your favorite class and why did you enjoy it? In High school or running start at the college?

DCS:  I would say avid for sure. I've been doing I've been since my middle school years and avid is a an elective class that that teaches you organizational skills, how to apply for colleges, how to sign up for scholarships, goal setting things like that and most importantly, it's given me a way to create a family there since I've been doing it for so long.

KPQ:  Do you have a favorite Apple Blossom Festival memory?

DCS: being in the youth parade.  I was a little cheerleader. At St. Joe's,  I'm pretty sure it was my fifth grade grade year.  I signed up to be like the little girl team. And I was so happy I got I got to be part of it,  seeing so many other kids smile for my school and being able to represent it was so much fun.

KPQ:  When it comes time for the Apple Blossom Festival food fair, you've got a particular food fair booth that you like to make your first stop I'm sure?

DCS:  Yes, I do. I'm a lover of fries. So the curly fries stand.  They're huge and for a good price too. I never get to finish them but I love them. They're so good. I don't recall the name of it but it's always next to the funnel cakes around there.

KPQ:  I'm asking each of the top 10 candidates,  besides themselves, which of the  other candidates do you think is most deserving to be in that royal court?

DCS:  I would say Lexi (Fennell) as I got to know her and she's the president of the college student body association. I get to see how how well driven, and her compassion. She is hardworking. And I feel like she has a lot of potential. She's a really great friend.

KPQ:  When did you decide to run for Apple Blossom?

DCS: Kind of always and then I've realized it more in my high school years. Because my sister got to do it as well.  I saw her and I was like, Oh, I can't wait for my senior year to get here so I can be able to do this wonderful opportunity. You know it's it's a one time thing. And I'm like, yeah, let me do it.

KPQ:  What happened when when you heard your name called for the top 10?

DCS: Oh my god. I was I was in shock. I started tearing up. I told myself I wasn't gonna cry. But it was just that in that moment.  I didn't know what to do. It was was very exciting.

Learn More About Dania Cuevas Sandoval, Read Her Full Bio

Dania is the daughter of Maria Adriana and Jose Luis Cuevas. Dania is a second year Running Start student who is enrolled full-time, takes pleasure in track and field, involved in Ignite and AVID, as well holds a leadership position as the Vice President of ASWVC (Associated Students of Wenatchee Valley College). In addition to her academic pursuits, Dania actively contributes to community service as the Treasurer for Youth United and works at McDonald's. She enjoys hanging out with friends, watching Netflix series, cleaning, going to the gym, and attending church in her free time. Dania’s plans after graduation is to aspire to pursue further education, driven by her passion for the medical field.

Dania’s favorite tv show is Backstreet Rookie, with her favorite movie being Instructions not Included, and "It will rain" by Bruno Mars is her all time favorite song. A book that she enjoyed reading was Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The person that inspires her the most is her older sister. Her most prized keepsake is birthday cards from friends and loved ones.

Dania’s favorite thing to do in the Wenatchee Valley, besides Apple Blossom, is experiencing all four seasons, going on night drives around the city, and having picnics in Walla Walla Point Park. Her proudest moment was hitting thirty feet on triple jump during her district meet. If Dania can trade with someone for a day it would be Ellen Ochoa. Dania is driven to showcase the Wenatchee Valley and the Apple Blossom Festival by expressing her diversity and profound affection for her hometown.