Her latest crowning achievement came on a whim and an urge to serve the community she loves.
Kajal Sabhaya represents many things to many people, but most of all she is a young, ambitious girl willing to do her part for the good of Kent.
Recognizing this, the Kent Lions chose the recently turned 18-year-old Sabhaya as Miss Cornucopia during the nonprofit service organization’s annual coronation at Town Square Plaza on Friday afternoon.
“I’m very excited,” said Sabhaya, a Kentridge High School graduate who is bound for Washington State University to study bio engineering come fall. “I absolutely love Kent, and a lot of my extracurricular activities are based around here. This (crown) is another way for me to give back (to the community).”
Sabhaya won a close essay-based contest to capture the tiara and a $3,000 scholarship from the Kent Lions Foundation. She decided to vie for the crown this year, having heard about the Kent Lions’ generous ways, something she wanted to be a part of.
Two other finalists – Maria Solano and Alexandria (Lexi) Morton – each will serve as princesses on the Miss Cornucopia court. Each will receive $1,500 from the foundation to be used for their studies.
As queen, Sabhaya’s responsibilities include making many appearance, beginning in Sunday’s 2 p.m. Cornucopia Days Grand Parade in downtown Kent.
Born and raised in Kent, Sabhaya is the daughter of Indian immigrants and the oldest of three children. Her father, Chandu Sabhaya, is a nurse at a Veterans Administration hospital in Seattle; her mother, Urmilla Mungra, is a hairdresser who first moved to the United State when she was 14.
An exceptional student, Sabhaya excels in her work with others.
She was part of the Kent Superintendent Student Advisory, served as vice chair on the Kent Drug Free Coalition, and performed duty on the Kent Police Youth Board. She also served as a youth ambassador, joining a contingent that visited Norway through the Kent Sister City Association program.
She has traveled to many countries and enjoys soaking in different cultures.
Sabhaya plans to go to graduate and medical schools, steps toward her ultimate goal of becoming an emergency room physician.
For now, she welcomes her place and her role in Kent.
“If you live in a community, giving back to the community is very important in order to be a good citizen,” she said. “By giving back to the Kent community, I am very thankful for everything it has given me, for example, all the resources and everything I can find in the community. In a lot of communities, you can’t find that. So being able to have that here, I am very thankful for it.”
Solano, daughter of Ana and Juan Solano, is a Kentwood High School graduate and a senior in Seattle University’s College of Nursing. She is a former Miss Hispanic Seafair.
Morton, daughter of Jennifer Morton, is a senior-to-be at Kent-Meridian High School. She hopes to attend the University of Hawaii and major in bio engineering/pre med. She was a youth ambassador to Japan in the Kent Sister City program.
Participants in the Miss Cornucopia Scholarship Program showcase their talents through academics, creative expression, public speaking, community service and participation in many events.
Kent Cornucopia Days continues Saturday and Sunday in downtown Kent.
For more information and a schedule, visit www.kcdays.com.
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PHOTOS BELOW:
Mithula Rarmal, 2014 Miss Cornucopia, crowns Maria Solano as a princess for this year’s court.
Far below photo, Rarmal poses with Lexi Morton, left, who also is part of this year’s Miss Cornucopia royalty. MARK KLAAS, Kent Reporter
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