WWW arkcity.net

Jayme Shriver click image to enlarge

By Rama Peroo
Cowley College

Having watched her sister, Brylee, be crowned Queen Alalah LXXV at last year's coronation, Jancye Sturd will take her turn at the crown as she is one of five finalists for Queen Alalah LXXVI.

Along with her sister, Brylee, Sturd's grandmother, Terry Eaton, mother, LeeAnn Eaton, and aunt, Stacy Eaton Tener are all former Queen Alalah candidates. Sturd's paternal grandmother's mother was one of the visiting queens in 1935, so the Arkalalah tradition is on both sides of the family.

Sturd, a 2006 graduate of Arkansas City High School, is the daughter of John and LeeAnn Sturd.

"I'm very honored, I saw what a great time my sister had and what great friends she made," Sturd said. "This group of girls that are up for it are good friends, so I am looking forward to a great time."

The sophomore sports administration major at Cowley has three sisters, Brylee, 20, Missy, 18, and Karlye, 16, and a brother, Michael, 18.

Grandparents are Terry and the late Lyle Eaton, of Arkansas City, and Lynn and Susie Woodworth, of Arkansas City. Great-grandmothers are Marjory Hodkin and Pearl Eaton, both of Arkansas City.

At Cowley, Sturd is a Student Ambassador, student assistant for the volleyball team, president of Phi Theta Kappa, member of Campus Christian Fellowship and is a work-study student in the office of the president.

In the little bit of free time she has, Sturd enjoys watching her sister, Karlye, run cross country at ACHS, and her brother, Michael, perform as a member of the drumline at Kansas State University.

Having grown up in Ark City, she has been attending and participating in Arkalalah festivities since she was a child. She used to perform at coronation as a member of Ark City Dance.

"Arkalalah is what I call my favorite holiday," Sturd said. "The food is the best part."

If Sturd were to be named Queen Alalah LXXVI, the Sturd's would be the second pair of sisters to have been named queen, joining Deborah Blatchford Masterson (Queen Alalah LII) and Diana Blatchford Holtke (Queen Alalah LIV).

"It would be awesome, but I'm just grateful for the opportunity," Sturd said.

She considers her father, John, to be one of the major influences in her life.

"I'm a lot like my dad, I'm very goal-oriented and a perfectionist," Sturd said. "I got my love of sports from going with my dad to the game's he officiated. I strive to be more and more like him everyday."

After Cowley, she plans to transfer to Wichita State University to complete her degree. Sturd hopes to one day work for a professional or collegiate sports team.

"I love sports, ever since I was little I have wanted to be around sports," Sturd said. "This will be a way to keep me around sports."

Although she looks forward to the future, she is not ready to leave Cowley.

"I love my classes, the teachers and the people here," Sturd said. "It's been great and I will be sad to leave."

For now, she will spend her time enjoying everything that comes with being a Queen Alalah candidate.

"Whoever my sister gets to crown will be very deserving," Sturd said.