One might expect someone who has been named as the Girls Preparatory School's May queen to naturally cherish the moment individually when learning she has been selected.

But 2025 queen Gwyneth Parks was admittedly thinking more "we" instead of "me' when she learned late last year she had been selected for this honor that goes to someone who possesses such traits as graciousness, friendliness, loyalty, and service.

For her, the announcement was simply a moment that highlighted the deep camaraderie she has enjoyed with this class of 72 students since arriving at the North Chattanooga independent girls' school as a sixth grader from Fairyland Elementary.

"I remember the day we did the voting and the announcement, and I was in awe of the moment and wasn't expecting it," said the daughter of Andrew and Dawn Parks. "That was probably the moment when I felt sisterhood in its greatest form. I felt such unity."

And that continued as she reigned as the queen on this 111 May Day celebration for the school and one of the few in recent years actually held on May 1. The weather was not ideal, with rain falling steadily during a good part of the ceremony, including during the final Maypole dance by the sophomores. But the ceremony for her and everyone still managed to turn out ideal.

And she even carried her team or class focus on through to the end, despite being the center of attention. That was because she and Maid of Honor Ella Beth Wiedmer decided to step out from under a tent the school had for them to stand under after the procession and brave the elements with everyone else while the dances were held.

"It was definitely raining at the end, but everyone made the best of it," she said with a laugh.

Miss Parks did admit to focusing a little on herself in a light-hearted way, though. That included primarily knowing that she was nervous and fearing she might fall while processing. But what she also took time to reflect on personally that day and leading up to it was the recognition that humbled her.

"It was such an honor to know that peers view you in that light," she said. "It was such an honor."

Miss Parks, who had a naturally friendly, modest and easily approachable manner as she was interviewed, added that she has deliberately always tried to get better acquainted with her classmates.

"I wanted to know people in my class beyond just being acquaintances, and I tried to do that across the years," she said. "I like to know what is going on in my classmates' lives. We all make an effort to support each other."

In the classroom, she has also tried to focus on various subjects and even multiple extracurricular activities. After running cross country as a younger student, she focused more on the sprints and triple jump as a varsity track and field competitor for the Bruisers, moving a little quicker down a lane or runway than when passing classmates in the hallways.

She also started playing the flute in the sixth grade and followed in her brother's footsteps by getting involved in the combined GPS/McCallie Pep Band. That led to her unique honor of getting to be the band's drum major this year.

She was also involved in Student Council and was on the GPS mock trial team that reached the state regional finals.

Academically, she has also tried to focus on multiple disciplines. She is somewhat uniquely interested in both science and history. The pandemic and a school field trip to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta made her interested in biochemistry and studying infectious diseases and epidemics.

She also plans to study history in college after being inspired in GPS teacher Callie Hamilton's Advanced Placement U.S. history class. "She just had such a love for it, and that made me love American history," she said.

All of that - as well as some acquaintances from GPS and a scholarship opportunity - made her decide to attend Washington and Lee University in Lexington by the mountains in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.

"They have a big scholarship program I was interested in, and they made me feel like they wanted me as a student," she said. She said the programs offered, the rich history of the school, and the nearby outdoors also attracted her.

While there, she plans to co-major in biochemistry and history.

But she was mainly focusing her last few days before the May 17 graduation on her time at GPS and on all her friends she has tried to get to know well, including the school itself.

"I am so glad I wound up at GPS," she said, admitting to feeling a little bittersweet that her time is concluding, despite her excitement for the next step. "Being in an all-girls environment allowed me to fully grow and support other young women."

Besides May queen Gwyneth Elnora Moon Parks and Maid of Honor Ella Elizabeth Cobb Wiedmer, other members of the 2025 GPS May Court included Crown Bearer Anika Elia Bhushan, Scepter Bearer Caroline Baker Grant, and Trainbearers Sadie Camille Buhrman and Eliana Noelle Tabibiazar.

(With names listed as they appeared in their senior year yearbooks)