'It was just surreal.' Oneal Everett crowned 2024 Carnation Festival queen

ALLIANCE ‒ Oneal Everett couldn't believe it. Had they really called her name?

"I was blown out of the park. Like there was no way," said the 18-year-old daughter of Dr. Duane and Kristen Everett from the Salem area. "It was just surreal."

Everett, a West Branch High School graduate, was crowned the 2024 Greater Alliance Carnation Festival queen on Saturday night at Alliance High School. She was chosen from a group of 16 contestants.

Former Carnation queens Taylor Penird Baxter (2016) and Erica Kirksey Jackson (1999) emceed the 64th pageant. The festival begins Thursday and ends Aug. 11.

The other members of Everett's court are 1st Attendant Isabella Hall; 2nd Attendant Alexandria Ritchie; 3rd Attendant Sophia Ayers; and Miss Congeniality Lilyan Ronske.

Everett, a member of Damascus Friends Church, is a devout Christian, and credited the Lord for giving her the confidence to enter the pageant. "My faith beyond important to me. I've been saved since I was 8. I just believe that God's going to carry me through this and show love to others," she said.

Her mom, Kristen Everett, was 2nd attendant in the 1990 pageant. She said her daughter's coronation was, "very special."

"We've come over the years and watched. Last year, she had three friends in it and she was like, 'I think I'm really going to do it," Everett's mom said. "Of course, I was exploding inside, like yes, yes. I knew how much I had when I did it. I've made lifelong friends."

Kristen Everett said her daughter is, "a genuine and a very humble girl."

A freshman at Malone University, Everett said she is planning to major in marketing and perform on the competitive STUNT cheerleading team.

Farewell, Stella

Everett succeeds last year's queen Stella Blake.

Blake and her court − 1st Attendant Mayze Leask; 2nd Attendant Meya Weatherspoon; and 3rd Attendant Gabriella Hill − shared a video from their 2023 experience. Prior to crowning Everett, Blake read a farewell speech and hugged her court.

She thanked her family and friends, her court, festival officials and the community.

"I grew up watching amazing women get crowned year after year, and I finally got my chance to be up here (last year) on July 29. That night changed my life. My childhood dream was becoming a reality and I woke up the next morning in disbelief with a schedule full of events," Blake said. "Thank you."

She added: "Everyone welcomed me with such open arms and thank you."

Blake, a 2024 graduate of Marlington High School, ended her speech, turning to the contestants, and offered them advice.

No one had been crowned yet.

"It takes a lot of courage to get out here on this stage tonight. I have loved watching and getting to know each of you," Blake said. "You are all queens in my heart. To the 2024 queen, you were chosen for a reason. Never forget that. This next year will fly by, so soak it in and make every moment count."

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com . On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP .

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 'It was just surreal.' Oneal Everett crowned 2024 Carnation Festival queen