MAIFEST ROYALTY LEAD THIS YEAR’S MAIFEST
This year’s Senior Maifest Queen for the Court of Brenham Maifest 125-The City Rocks, is a long time Maifest participant, beginning her love of the Maifest at the age 0f 21/2, when she served as a Petal Bearer in
Queen Caroline Cook’s court in 1999.
Gretchen, daughter of Glen and Julie, enjoys the anticipation of the costume assignments and practicing dance routines every spring, but coming together as a community and working together for a big event her hometown has produced for one hundred and twenty five years is even bigger to her. She’s proud of the tradition and proud to be a part of something fun and engaging for kids.
Gretchen is a senior at Brenham High School, and will attend Texas Christian University next fall and plans to study Public Relations. She’s a hurdler for the BHS track team and a valuable leg of the 4x4 mile relay team. Gretchen has served her team as captain of the Brenham Cubette Volleyball team and was voted 1st team all-district player. She’s a member of FCCLA. Gretchen’s happiest part of her day is when she works as a student mentor for her fellow classmates, a program she designed and help implement into the school curriculum. Brenham Presbyterian Church is her church home and she attends Kanakuk Christian Camp each summer. She is a Student Leader with Young Life and loves sharing her faith in Jesus with friends and into the world.
Gretchen was elected Homecoming Queen this past fall and is humbled and honored to represent Brenham High School.
This year’s Maifest is monumental as it’s the 125th year. The Court of “Brenham Maifest One-twenty-five...Our Hometown Rocks” will celebrate all the good things we love about our hometown, all of the successes people and businesses have seen, events that happened throughout history since 1881 when Maifest first began and a party for the ages for our high school kids who love their hometown. Don’t miss the fun and a chance to be with friends and family during this joyous civic event. All are invited to participate and Gretchen and Halen look forward to serving their community with pride. Halen Tilley is a close friend and she is excited to work and serve alongside him this Spring. Brenham has been good to Halen and Gretchen and they are anxious to give back. Our hometown ROCKS!!!
Halen Scott Tilley, son of Mary and Jeff Tilley, is this year’s Senior Maifest King. He is seventeen years old
and has been a Maifest participant since he was five years old.
Halen is a Junior at Brenham High School. He is a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and participates with the youth group. He has participated in serving his community since he was young by helping his parents with the Goodfellows organization, mentoring elementary kids, delivering Thanksgiving meals and building wheelchair ramps with his church.
Halen enjoys playing sports and is a member of the Brenham Cub varsity football team and JV basketball team. He has previously participated in Little Dribbler’s, Washington County Little League and Washington County Youth Soccer.
Being selected as Senior Maifest King this year is especially exciting reigning over “Maifest 125: This City Rocks” as the community celebrates 125 years of Maifest. His family is also honored to have him serving as Senior Maifest King while his sister Kennedy serves as Junior Maifest Queen. Halen has had numerous cousins serve as king and queen of past Maifests, but what is most important to him is for all kids in the community to participate and have fun.
Halen is the grandson of Charles and Mary Schulte Barnes of Brenham and Riley and Raye Tilley of Huntsville. He is the great grandson of B.R. (Mac) McLendon and a special friend of Laura Wright. He is also the great grandson of the former county sheriff Johnie and Elsie Schulte, Henry and Betty Barnes, and Dorothy McLendon, all of Brenham, and Willis and Nancy Tilley of Colorado City, Texas, all of whom are deceased.
Kennedy Elizabeth Tilley, daughter of Mary and Jeff Tilley, is one of this year’s Junior Maifest Queens. She
is eight years old and has been a Maifest participant since age 3.
Kennedy is a 3rd grader at Brenham Elementary School, and a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and is an active Sunday school participant.
She has participated in serving her community since she was very young by helping her parents with the Goodfellows organization, helping with the “Kids helping Kids” program through Maifest, delivering Thanksgiving meals and building wheelchair ramps with her church. She enjoys musical theater and enjoys learning piano.
Kennedy also likes sports, especially basketball. She has participated in Little Dribbler’s for the past three years while also previously playing soccer and softball.
Being selected as Junior Maifest Queen this year is especially exciting since Kennedy will be one of two queens reign over “Maifest Express: Season Ticket to Fun”. Her family is also honored to have her serving as Junior Maifest Queen while her brother Halen serves as Senior Maifest King in celebration of 125 years of Maifest. Kennedy has had numerous cousins serve as king and queen of past Maifests, but what is most important to her is for all kids in the community to participate and have fun.
Kennedy is the granddaughter of Charles and Mary Schulte Barnes of Brenham and Riley and Raye Tilley of Huntsville. She is the great granddaughter of B.R. (Mac) McLendon and a special friend of Laura Wright. She is also the great granddaughter of the former county sheriff Johnie and Elsie Schulte, Henry and Betty Barnes, and Dorothy McLendon, all of Brenham, and Willis and Nancy Tilley of Colorado City, Texas, all of whom are deceased.
Emma Kate McIntyre will be one of the Junior Maifest Queens during the 125th Maifest Celebratio. She will
help reign over “Maifest Express: Your Season Ticket to Fun”.
She is the 9 year-old daughter of Harvey and Reagan McIntyre and Cooper’s big sister. She is the granddaughter of Ray and Cynthia Robinson of Brenham, Mark and Pat Jahn of Yoakum, and Pat McIntyre and the late Dee McIntyre of Brenham.
One thing for sure about our new Queen is her love for Maifest and the tradition it holds within the community and her family. She participated in her first Maifest, Candy Land, at the age of 3. She has loved all of her costumes over the years, from being a cute Kite, to a fancy Fish, to a crazy Minion in last years, Maifest Mystery Madness. Her favorite Maifest was Live from New York…It’s Maifest 2013, where she was Queen Tatum’s Royal Train Bearer. Queen Emma Kate’s aunts, Sarah Bullock McIntyre and Kathryn Adele Kenjura were both Maifest Monarchs, along with numerous distant cousins over the years.
Emma Kate is a third grade honor roll student at Brenham Elementary School and a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. She participates in gymnastics, soccer, volleyball, dance, and loves supporting her Blinn Buccaneer Baseball Team.
The 2015 Junior Maifest Kings reigning over Maifest Express: Season Ticket to Fun are Benjamin Brooks
Rogas and Grant Edward Rogas. They are the 10 year old sons of Russell and Amey Rogas. They are the grandsons of Larry and Julie Tegeler, and Will and Mary Rogas. Ben and Grant have participated in the Maifest since they were 3 years old.
Ben and Grant are members of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and are 4th Grade students at St. Paul’s Christian Day School. They both love the outdoors, spending time in Sargent, at the coast in the summer and in the Hill Country hunting in the fall.
Ben is active in his church youth choir. He plays Little Dribblers Basketball and Washington County Little League Baseball. He is a member of Salem 4H, where he raises horses and commercial heifers for the Washington County Fair. He is involved in swimming and has been on the Brenham Dolphin Swim Team.
Grant’s favorite pastime is playing select baseball for the Batters Box Naturals. His is active in Washington County Little League Baseball. He is a member of Salem 4H, where he raises commercial heifers and shows horses.
Ben and Grant have 2 brothers, Jack age 6, and Britt age 13. Maifest has been an important part of their lives. Their brother Britt reigned as Junior King in 2011 over Magnificent Movie Memories, and their Uncle Bradley Tegeler reigned as Senior King in 1994 over the Court of Music Music Music.