By Debbie Adams
One of the highlights of the Vinton Dogwood Festival, and a long tradition, is the crowning of the Vinton Dogwood Queen. The Dogwood Court is made up of 10 seniors from William Byrd High School who are nominated by the faculty. They are interviewed during the morning of the Dogwood Festival by a panel of judges, who then select the queen. The new queen receives a $750 scholarship from the Dogwood Festival Committee.
The 2026 Dogwood Queen will be crowned at the Vinton Municipal Building at noon on April 26. After she is crowned, the new queen and her court ride through the streets of downtown Vinton in horse-drawn carriages.
The young women vying for this year’s title of Vinton Dogwood Festival Queen are Lily Carrell, Addison Clark, Shelby Ensor, Carleigh Leonard, Mallory Peroulas, Miley Moses Pinion, Adyson Welch-Rogers, Makenzie Scott, Lucy Whitenack, and Peyton Wright.
Lily Carrell is a varsity/competition cheerleader at William Byrd. She is a member of the Leo Club, the SCA, Help Save the Next Girl, DECA, and Beta Club. She plans to attend a four-year university and major in health science on a pre-med track to become a physical therapist. In her spare time, she enjoys cheer, work, and spending time with family and friends.
She works as a server at Lew’s and enjoys doing service activities with the Leo Club and other clubs she is involved with. She also enjoys dog-sitting and going to tumbling classes and helping coach the younger cheer girls. Her parents are Amanda Sabin and Dan Carrell.
Addison Clark is captain of the William Byrd varsity softball team, president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, secretary of the Leo Club, Dog Pound (student section) Leader, an officer in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) a member of Student Council, the National BETA Club, the Reindeer Club, Terrier TV and Young Life. She was voted this year’s Homecoming Queen by the teachers and student body.
She plans to attend Virginia Tech or Liberty University and pursue a degree in business. Her hobbies include softball (pitching), weightlifting, reading, and baking sourdough. She is an active member of Villa Heights Baptist Church and youth group. Her parents are Allen and Sharon Clark. Her grandmother represented Floyd County in the Seventh Annual (1962) Dogwood Festival.
Shelby Ensor is a member of the William Byrd High School DECA and Leo Clubs. She plans to attend Roanoke College to major in Exercise Health and Science. Her hobbies include softball, indoor track and field, and pickleball. She works for the Salem RidgeYaks baseball team, which gave her the opportunity to work at a Banana Ball game. She is the daughter of Bridget and Jay Ensor.
Carleigh Leonard has been a member of the varsity sideline and competition cheer teams in grades 9-12. She has been captain of both teams during her junior and senior years. She has participated in outdoor track and field in 10th-12 grades. She is also president of Help Save the Next Girl, and a member of the BETA, Leo, SCA, and DECA clubs. She works with elementary school students in the Teachers for Tomorrow program. Her hobbies include cheerleading, dogsitting, and babysitting.
She plans to attend Virginia Tech to major in Exercise and Health Sciences, then attend PA school to specialize in pediatric sports medicine. She is graduating from Virginia Western Community College in May with her associate’s degree. She also participates in outreach events through her church. She is the daughter of Carrington Jones.
Mallory Peroulas has been a member of the varsity softball team for four years and serves as captain. She is an officer with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and a member of the Leo Club, BETA Club, Student Council, DECA, Young Life, and Terrier TV.
She enjoys attending church, baking, reading, gathering with friends, and being creative.
“I love listening to music, and never pass up an opportunity to sing Karaoke. I love the Lord and spending time with my friends and family. I am very passionate about playing softball and celebrating Christmas all year long.”
She plans to attend James Madison University and major in Hospitality Management, as well as minoring in business. She is the daughter of Dean and Missy Peroulas.
Miley Moses Pinion has been a member of the William Byrd cheer program since 2022, and is captain of the varsity sideline team this year. She has also been a member of the tennis team since 2021, serving as captain during her junior and senior years. She is a member of the Leo Club, International Club, Student Advisory Council, Student Voice, and BETA Club. She has been a member of All-District Choir and the Virginia Tech Honor Choir. She served as a Junior Marshal at last year’s graduation and represented the American Legion Auxiliary of Virginia as a Girls State Delegate in 2025 and was a Top Terrier nominee.
Her hobbies include playing steel drums, pickleball, and spending time with friends. She is actively involved with her youth group at Vinton Baptist Church and enjoys singing with the youth choir.
She plans to attend Ferrum College to major in social work and minor in secondary education. She is the daughter of Timothy and Ashleigh Pinion.
Adyson Welch-Rogers is a member of the sideline and competition cheer teams at William Byrd. She plans to attend Virginia Western Community College and then transfer to another college to major in psychology to eventually become a relationship counselor. Her parents are Paige Welch and Nathan Giles.
She enjoys journaling, working out, listening to music while painting, baking, making smoothies, researching mental illness, listening to psychology podcasts, singing, and tumbling.
She works at Little Ponderosa, an animal kennel. She has recently become a Big Sister. “It feels like I’m her second mom. I want to start a family of my own someday, so this is great practice!”
Makenzie Scott is president of the SCA, and a member of the Leo Club, Prevention Club, BETA Club and Help Save the Next Girl. She has been a member of the track and field team for three years and has participated in sideline cheering for three years. She was named DAR Good Citizen of the Year for 2026.
She is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society through Virginia Western Community College for maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She plans to attend a four-year college and major in public health.
Her hobbies are painting, non-profit/volunteer work, and spending time with friends. She is the daughter of Michelle Scott.
Lucy Whitenack has been a member of the William Byrd Cross Country program since the eighth grade and a state qualifier twice. She was named All-Regional runner last fall, and a threetime All District runner in 2023, 2024, and 2025. She has also been an indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field runner during her high school career and was named Most Improved Runner for outdoor track in the spring of 2024. She is a member of the BETA Club, Leo Club, Pre-Med Club, and International Club. She plays first chair trumpet in the William Byrd Symphonic Band and drums in the Bonsack Baptist Youth Praise Band. She has won “Best in Show” in the William Byrd School Art Show. This year she has been a participant in the Plant the Moon NASA Challenge research project in AP biology class.
She plans to attend Roanoke College to study biology with a pre-med track and to continue her running career by running cross country and track and field on the Roanoke team.
She is an active member of the Bonsack Baptist Youth program, involved in both music and mission activities. Her hobbies include running, reading, art, board games, and card games.
Her “hidden talents” include origami and balloon animals. She can play two different instruments (trumpet and drums). She has been a childcare worker at Bonsack Baptist and has held a part-time front desk position with Express Family Care. Her parents are Carl and Hannah Whitenack.
Peyton Wright has been a member of the varsity girls tennis team for four years and their social media manager. She has been a member of the yearbook staff for three years, and editor in her senior year. She is president of the Leo Club, SCA vice president, and a member of the International Club, PAWS, the Drama Club, Reindeer Club, and Help Save the Next Girl. She served as Junior Marshal at last year’s graduation, thanks to her 4.12 GPA, and has completed 50+ hours of community service.
She plans to attend James Madison University and pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing Arts.
She enjoys playing tennis, reading, watching TV and movies, and spending time with friends. Peyton is a twin. She enjoys spending time with her twin, Lennon, and her other sister, Madison. Their parents are Laura Wright and Jeremy Wright.
