500 Festival names queen

It's said that every little girl dreams of becoming a queen. Now, senior Jennifer McConnell is one after being crowned queen of the Indianapolis 500 Saturday. \nMcConnell was one of 33 princesses selected from around Indiana. The princesses represent Indiana's nine colleges and universities and 20 of its cities and towns. McConnell hails from Indianapolis' south side and is a graduate of Perry Meridian High School. \nFestival officials crowned McConnell queen at the Mayor's Breakfast at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Senior Alane Summers, an Indianapolis 500 princess, said McConnell seemed very surprised when her title was announced.\n"She had no idea that she was going to be queen," Summers said. "She was just standing around waiting to hear who won and never expected to hear her name. She started crying, she was so surprised."\nMcConnell, a public affairs management major, received a $2,500 educational scholarship from WTHR Channel 13 and the 500 Festival, which was created in 1957 to organize civic events celebrating the race. Supported by corporate sponsors, the non-profit festival draws participation from more than 400,000 people and is one of the largest events of its type in the country.\nIn her duties as queen, McConnell will attend various 500 Festival engagements and events throughout the year. She will be featured in the Victory Circle with the race winner and will ride on the 500 Princess float. Throughout the remainder of the festival, McConnell will wear a crown designed by G. Thrapp Jewelers of Indianapolis. \nJudges chose princess Maggie Kleinhenn of Noblesville, a junior elementary education major at Purdue University, and princess Lauren Petticrew, an IU junior from Zionsville, to serve on the queen's court. The young women were selected based on communication skills, poise, academic performance and community and volunteer involvement. Princesses have been involved in Festival activities throughout the month, according to the 500 Festival Web site.\nSponsors for the 500 Festival Princess Program include WTHR Channel 13, G. Thrapp Jewelers and Mel and Bren Simon. Clothing support for the program is provided by Finish Line, Leon Levin/Play and New York design houses Betsy & Adam and Garfield & Marks. Salon 01 in Indianapolis serves as the preferred hair salon of the 500 Festival Princess Program, according to a Princess Program press release. \n"A lot of people think it's a lot of pageantry, but it's not," Summers said. "We've done a lot of community service."\nSummers said the princesses have made numerous community appearances at events throughout Indianapolis including Kids' Day and the Mini-Marathon May 8.\nSummers said she was happy the judges selected McConnell as queen.\n"I'm really excited for her," she said. "The right person got the crown"