HOLYOKE — The 69th annual Holyoke Grand Colleen Pageant will take place on Saturday, featuring nine young women from South Hadley and Holyoke competing to make it into the top five contestants. Those five will then have a Grand Colleen crowned at the Coronation Ball on Saturday, Feb. 15.
The requirements for the application are that the young women must be single (never having been married or had a child), no less than 17 years old by March 17, 2025, and a senior in high school; not more than 22 years old by March 17, 2025, a resident of either Holyoke or South Hadley, able to claim Irish ancestry and completion of the resume.
Within the application, the young women are asked to outline their major accomplishments in the areas of community involvement, academic awards, special recognition in school, any special hobbies or interests of theirs, and their future plans.
The day starts with the young women being interviewed by the judges in the morning and then culminates in the evening with the pageant portion of the event, with each woman walking the stage at Holyoke High School in evening wear in front of the judges, friends, family, and the local community.
A combined score from the morning interview and the evening pageant are tallied, and the five young women with the highest scores are announced as the 2025 Holyoke Colleens.
Ms. Congeniality also announced who the contestants chose as the young woman who was the more helpful, kind, and personable.
The pageant on Saturday begins at 7 p.m. at Holyoke High School. Tickets are $15 per person, $10 for seniors, and children under 12 are free.
The nine contestants include:
■Blythe Grace Bullock, 19, of Holyoke, a Hopkins Academy and Holyoke Community College dual enrollment graduate who is currently working and inspires to pursue a nursing degree.
■Caitlyn Ann Eichhorn, 22, of South Hadley, a South Hadley High School and Lower Pioneer Valley Career and Technical Education Center (Career TEC) graduate, currently at Springfield Technical Community College majoring in early childhood education and care.
■Erin Marie Gauthier, 20, of Holyoke, a Holyoke High School gradaute currently at Baypath University pursuing a bachelor’s with a dual major in medical science and biology and on the pre-veterinary track.
■Abigail Katherine Huebner, 20, of South Hadley, a Granby Junior/Senior High School graduate currently at Sacred Heart University pursuing a bachelor’s with a dual major in marketing and management and digital marketing minor.
■Maura Catherine Joseph, 22, of Holyoke, a Hampshire Regional High School graduate and Franklin Pierce University graduate with a degree in criminal justice who currently works as a preschool paraeducator.
■Erin Frances O’Donnell, 20, of Holyoke, a Holyoke High School graduate currently at Holyoke Community College obtaining her nursing licensure, and enrolled at Westfield State University completing her bachelor’s in nursing.
■Moira Catherine Reardon, 21, a Holyoke High School graduate currently at Springfield Technical Community College majoring in health science and studying diagnostic medical sonography.
■Olivia Rose Royland, 19, of Holyoke, a Classical Conversations program graduate currently at Holyoke Community College pursuing an associate degree in education