By Debbie Adams
The 2024 Vinton Dogwood Queen will be crowned at the Vinton Municipal Building by Mayor
Brad Grose at noon on April 27.
The Dogwood Court is traditionally made up of 10 seniors from William Byrd High School who
are nominated by the faculty. They are interviewed the morning of the Dogwood Festival by a
panel of judges, who then selects the queen. The new queen receives a $750 scholarship from the
Dogwood Festival Committee. After she is crowned, the new queen and her court will ride
through the streets of Vinton in horse-drawn carriages.
The young women vying for this year’s title of Dogwood Queen are Olaedo Anyanwu, Jaslyn
Bibby, Sydney Blewett, Kathryn Bryant, Elizabeth Dixon, Claire Glover, Makenna Jacobsen,
Emma Kageals, Addisyn St. Clair, and Emily Tuck.
Olaedo Anyanwu is a captain of the Varsity Cheer Sideline squad and this year’s Top Terrier
(the highest individual honor a William Byrd student can receive). Her other high school
activities include participation in Speech and Debate, Student Voices, and the William Byrd
Choir. Her recognitions include being chosen for All-State Choir and being named to the second
team All-State Cheerleading.
Olaedo represents WBHS on the Roanoke County Student Advisory Council. She is a member of
the Prom Committee and president of the Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy. She participates in
Track and Field and Competition Cheer.
Her hobbies include singing, playing piano, running, and volunteering for Feeding America,
Habitat for Humanity, and the Carilion Clinic Memorial Hospital.
Her future plans are to attend a four-year university to major in chemistry and minor in computer
science. Her parents are Drs. Chinekwu Anyanwu and Benjamin Anyanwu.
Jaslyn Bibby is a member of the Leo Club, Habitat for Humanity, the International Club, and
Young Life. Her hobbies are hiking and exercising, reading, shopping, and listening to music.
She enjoys hanging out with her friends, and loves “finding new and creative activities for my
family and me to enjoy. I love organizing and decorating.”
She plans to attend a four-year college and major in Biological Sciences with a Human Biology
intent. After college, she plans to attend PA school and become a Physicians’ Assistant. Her
parents are Deanna Bibby and Thomas Bibby, Jr.
Sydney Blewett participates in varsity softball and indoor track. She was named All-State in
Indoor and Outdoor Track. She is an officer with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a member
of the Leo Club, Student Council, Student Voices, the International Club, and the Forensics and
Debate team, and on the Homecoming Planning Committee.
Her hobbies are baking, running, scrapbooking, and crocheting.
Sydney is an active member of her church youth group. She is taking her Biliteracy Test in
Spanish this spring.
She says, “Family is the most important part of my life, second to my faith.” Her parents are
Jeremy and Jennifer Blewett.
Her future plans are to attend Virginia Western Community College for a year, and then transfer
to Freed-Hardeman University to study nursing.
Kathryn Bryant is captain of the Varsity Volleyball team and vice president of the Fellowship
of Christian Athletes. She is leader of the Dog Pound and a member of Young Life, the Reindeer
Club, DECA, and Teachers for Tomorrow.
Her hobbies are “hanging out with friends,” babysitting, and volunteering. She tutors in third
grade at Greenfield Elementary. This year Kathryn and her friends started a Girls Bible Study.
Her future plans are to attend Virginia Tech to pursue a degree in Elementary Education. Her
parents are Matt and Kelly Bryant.
Elizabeth Dixon participates in cross country and indoor and outdoor track at William Byrd. She
is a member of the Leo Club, SCA, BETA Club, Outdoor Club, the Chick-Fil-A Leadership
Club, and a Senior Class representative.
Her hobbies are running, reading, hiking, traveling, Crossfit, and spending time with friends and
family. She is a member of Vinton Baptist Church and the youth group there.
She plans to attend Virginia Tech in the fall and major in engineering. Her parents are
Christopher and Lori Dixon.
Claire Glover has been a member of the William Byrd cross country and girls soccer teams for
four years. She is a member of the Leo Club, BETA Club, William Byrd Young Life, the
Reindeer Club, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as president this year.
Her hobbies are running, reading, hiking, and doing watercolors.
She is a preschool teacher at Second Presbyterian Preschool, a Carilion Hospital volunteer, a
Roanoke Rescue Mission volunteer, and helps lead an all-girls Bible study.
She plans to attend a four-year university to obtain her Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology with a
concentration in nutrition and dietetics. Her parents are Karenna and Eddie Glover.
Makenna Jacobsen is a member of the SCA, Varsity girls tennis team, Leo Club, International
Club, Habitat for Humanity, Outdoor Club, Beta Club, Reindeer Club, Future Business Leaders
of America (FBLA), Byrd Buddies, and the William Byrd Choir. She is president of both the
SCA and FBLA and has completed over 20 hours of community service. She graduated from the
Governor’s World Language Academy last summer and is certified as bilingual in Spanish and
English.
Her hobbies include tennis, singing, hiking, baking, and reading. She has worked at Pok-E-Joe’s
since last August and plans to continue to work there through this summer as well.
Makenna plans to attend the University of Virginia to major in business, with a possible minor in
real estate. She would like to one day own her own business. Her parents are Shannon Jacobsen
and Landon Jacobsen.
Emma Kageals is currently vice president of the Leo Club, a captain of the Sideline Cheer team
(member of four years), a member of the SCA, captain of the Competition Cheering team
(member for four years), a member of the Outdoor Varsity Track and Field and Varsity Indoor
Track and Field teams.
Her hobbies include scuba diving, and traveling. She volunteers with Carilion’s Children’s
Hospital, and Jill’s Buddy Camp
She plans to major in chemistry on the pre-med track at Virginia Tech. Her parents are Amy Kageals and Todd Kageals.
Addisyn St. Clair has played varsity soccer for four years and is a member of Beta Club, the
Leo Club, the International Club, and HOSA, as well as a Senior Class representative. She was
named second team All-District in soccer in her sophomore year and first team All-District and
first team All-Region in her junior year.
She obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant Certification through the Burton Center for Arts
and Technology after completing 40 clinical hours at Salem Health and Rehab.
Her favorite pastime is spending time with her family on the beach finding shark teeth.
Her future plans are to attend a four-year college to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and
then become a “NICU” nurse. Her parents are Paul and Casey St. Clair.
Emily Tuck plays volleyball at WBHS and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes,
DECA, Beta Club, Reindeer Club, International Club, Teachers for Tomorrow, and Young Life.
Her hobbies are playing volleyball, pickleball, and baking.
She and her friends lead a girls Bible study. She works at Honey Tree 460 and volunteers in the
nursery at Bonsack Baptist Church.
She plans to attend Virginia Tech and major in elementary education with hopes to return to
Vinton and teach at her old elementary school– Herman L. Horn. Her parents are Melissa and Kevin Tuck.
(Photos courtesy of Dogwood Queen candidates and Dogwood Festival Committee)
