WEST SPRINGFIELD – Surrounded by an audience who was applauding and cheering, West Springfield High School senior Ceara Bowler was crowned the 2019 West Springfield Colleen during a pageant at the Springfield Country Club on Feb. 2. Olivia Dwyer, Megan McCaffrey, Emma Bowler and Krista O’Brien were chosen as the 2019 Colleen Court.

Tasneem Kelly, Samantha Grunden, Chloe Crowley, Charlotte Charbonneau, Natalie Jones, Kathryn Manley and Maura Cournoyer also competed for the title of 2019 West Springfield Colleen.

Amie Chrzanowski, 2019 Colleen “Mom” and West Springfield Liaison to the Holyoke Committee, said that all of the contestants were supportive during the competition. “I haven’t had such a close role with the contestants in a decade, so it was fairly new to me going back to the Colleen Mom role. Every one of the contestants was wonderful. They were extremely supportive of each other. I do think that any one of the contestants would have been a great choice for Colleen,” Chrzanowski said.

Al Howard, who was named 2019 West Springfield Parade Marshall for the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade, announced Bowler as the winner of the pageant.

Jenna Melvin, 2018 West Springfield Colleen winner, crowned Bowler on stage following her win.

Bowler is involved in numerous activities at the school and in the community. Bowler is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, treasurer of the Drama Club and is a recipient of the John and Abigail Adams scholarship and Certificate of Academic Excellence. Bowler is also a four time Renaissance award winner and AP scholar recipient. She was on the honor guard for the 2018 West Springfield High School commencement ceremony and is involved with student government, key club, the Irish club, and the Irish Cultural Exchange Program.

Bowler has volunteered in a number of ways including painting faces at the Chicopee Block Party, participating in the Knights of Columbus Thanksgiving meal delivery, tutoring at West Springfield Middle School, participating in Operation Santa and working the concession stand for sports games at Clark Field. She plans to double major in education and psychology and obtain a master’s degree and teaching license.

Chrzanowski shared that Ceara has embraced her role of Colleen proudly. “The night that we introduced the Court to the West Springfield Committee, all five members fit right in, but Ceara definitely wore that crown very proudly. She got right up onto the float with the committee president and started looking over the prints and chatting with him like she had been part of the build all along. I definitely think that Ceara will make her predecessors proud,” Chrzanowski shared.

Several contestants in the 2019 West Springfield Colleen pageant also received scholarships.

Bowler will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the West Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee. The four members of the Colleen Court will each receive a $250 scholarship from the West Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee.

O’Brien also received the 2019 Nancy McClain Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded in honor of Nancy McClain, a member of the West Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee for 22 years who passed away in 2017.

Bowler and her Court will represent the Town of West Springfield at several functions throughout the year, including a trip to the State House.

To watch the full 2019 Colleen pageant, visit www.facebook.com/westspringfield.ma.