THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 7, 1996 TAG: 9604050201
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Close-Up
SOURCE: Rebecca Myers
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
FOR THE NEXT SEVEN days, 19-year-old Anna Kathryn Fortson will be wearing short, white gloves with each of the spring outfits in her newly assembled wardrobe.
Hats, however, are optional.
Fortson's new look is all part of her week-long reign as the Cherry Blossom Princess representing Virginia in the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington.
Fortson, daughter of Martha Fortson and retired Navy Cmdr. Malcolm Fortson III of Swimming Point, is one of 55 princesses representing every state of the union, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories.
``It's not like Miss America or anything,'' says Fortson, a sophomore majoring in communications at Randolph-Macon Woman's College. ``And it has nothing to do with looks or anything like that. It's really more just an honor.''
The festival is held annually during the time when the city's thousands of cherry trees - given to our nation's capital in 1912 by the mayor of Tokyo - are most likely to be in bloom.
``It's not every year that we hit it right on the nose, but we usually come pretty close,'' says Bernard H. Zeavin, president of the Society of Virginia, which helps plan the event each year.
From now until the festival ends a week from today, Fortson will attend ceremonies, receptions, luncheons and a grand ball, at which the Cherry Blossom Queen will be chosen. Fortson's 22-year-old brother, Rob, will be her escort at the ball.
``Your escort is supposed to be a relative or a close friend,'' Fortson explained. ``It's very old-fashioned.''
A simple spin of a wheel will determine who becomes queen and receives a free trip to Japan.
``It's kind of funny,'' Fortson says. ``The queen is not selected for any real reason. There's a big wheel with everybody's name on it, and whoever it lands on is who it is.''
The wheel has landed on Virginia only once: in 1977, and Zeavin's daughter, Jill Robin Zeavin, became the queen.
``I think it'll be fun,'' Fortson says, ``and it's a very fair way of doing it.''
A 1994 graduate of Norfolk Collegiate School, Fortson has lived in Portsmouth most of her life.
``I was born at the Naval Hospital. My dad was in the military, so we moved around for about four or five years, then in fifth grade we returned to Portsmouth.''
Fortson says she loves Virginia and decided to attend the all-women's college in Lynchburg at the recommendation of a close family friend.
``One of my neighbors had gone to Randolph-Macon, and she always talked about it, so I came to visit it one weekend.''
For Fortson, it was love at first sight.
``None of my friends ever thought I'd go to an all-women's college because most of my friends in high school were guys.
``But I ended up here - and I love it.''
Name: Anna Kathryn Fortson
Hometown: Portsmouth
Birthdate: Sept. 18, 1976
School: Sophomore at Randolph-Macon Woman's College
Parents: Malcolm and Martha Fortson
Siblings: Rob Fortson, 22
Pets: Dog named CoCo
Favorite subject: Creative writing
Favorite foods: Pizza, chocolate
Favorite restaurants: The Max and Elliot's
Hobbies: Organizing, shopping, collecting Beatrix Potter
Favorite movie: ``Stealing Home''
Favorite TV show: ``Party of Five''
Favorite musical groups: Blues Traveler and Indigo Girls
Favorite sport: Field hockey
Favorite magazine: YM
Last book read for fun: ``Where Are the Children,'' by Mary Higgins Clark
Last smart thing you did: Chose an all-women's college.
Last dumb thing you did: Lost keys to my summer job when I was supposed to open up in the morning.
Pet peeve: When people do not return my calls.
Who are your heroes? My parents, and Kelli James, a former field hockey coach of mine who is presently on the Olympic Team.
Your worst habit: Being fidgety - I always have to be doing something.
Last vacation: Sailing with my family in the Virgin Islands.
Favorite way to spend the day: Hanging out with my friends at the beach.
If you had 15 minutes on national television, what would you discuss? Recycling efforts, or the lack thereof; how everyone needs to strive harder and take a little more time every day to save our environment.
When I get older, I want to be: Happy with whatever direction life takes me. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
by CNB