REINA MAYE MARQUIS SARAH LILLIAN MONTOYA

Maye Marquis Sarah Lillian Montoya was born on May 16, 2005. She was salutatorian of the class of 2023 at Taos Academy. She plans to attend UNM Albuquerque and earn a double major in Speech and Hearing Sciences and Audiology. Maye is one of the first three women to receive her Bilingual Seal for Spanish at Taos Academy.

Maye was fortunate to enjoy relationships and benefit from her 6th generational northern NM family roots, living much of her life learning from her great Grandparents Temia Archuleta and Lillian Cordova, and grandparents, Maxine and Marc Montoya.

Maye participated in Golf, Swimming, and Track and Field at the Varsity level at THS. She also volunteered with the Saint Francis de Assisi Church’s First Holy Communion class and at community events with her school. She is the Vice President of Service with the National Honors Society and has the privilege of coordinating volunteering opportunities in the community for them.

Maye’s favorite traditional events include walking to the Santuario in Chimayo on Good Friday with her Mom (in memory of her Great Grandmother Temia), a yearly matanza with her family, and feeding the Hermanos on Holy week with her Grandma and Mom, keeping the tradition alive after her great grandmother passed. Maye’s love for traditions and her faith encouraged her to be a part of the Fiestas and run for Fiesta Queen.

MAYE’S SPONSORS

PRINCESA MARIEBELLA EMILIA ELIZA CARMEN DURAN RODRIGUEZ

Mariebella Emilia Eliza Carmen Duran Rodriguez was born on August 3, 2006, in Taos, and is the daughter of Thomas Duran and Bella Rodríguez-Duran. She is the granddaughter of the late, Carmen Olivencia Rodriguez, Jose Enrique Rodriguez, Carmen Valerio Duran, and Jose Tomas Duran. She has 4 siblings Cynthia (Brandon), Richard (Roxanna), Rachel (Benny), and Nicholas (Jannelle), and 3 nephews, 3 nieces and 1 on the way.

Mariebella is a Senior at Taos Academy, and an honor roll student. She participates in the student council and is the secretary of the National Honor Society. Mariebella plans to graduate in 2024 with her high school diploma as well as an associate degree in pre-science from the University of New Mexico. She hopes to then pursue a degree in Speech Pathology at New Mexico State University.

She is an active member of the San Francisco de Asis Mission Parish where she has served as an altar server for the last nine years and is the trainer for new servers. She also started a youth choir at San Francisco and plays the guitar in the choir. Mariebella is also very active at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and has participated in the youth group for seven years.

MARIEBELLA’S SPONSORS

PRINCESA NATALIA AUGUSTINA VERONICA FLORES

Natalia Augustina Veronica Flores, 19, was born November 8th, 2003, in Taos, New Mexico. Natalia is the eldest daughter of Mark T. Flores II and Rosa O. Flores. Natalia has one sibling, her younger sister Tatiana Flores. Her grandparents are Tina Jo Martinez and Juan and Maria Sanchez. Maternal Great Grandparents are the late Jose and Ramona Sanchez of Jalisco, Mexico along with Pedro and Elisa Solis. Paternal Great Grandparents are Polito E. Martinez and Tina V. Martinez from Talpa, New Mexico along with George M. Flores and Edith A. Flores of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Natalia grew up and was raised in Taos, New Mexico, attending St. Francis Church of Ranchos, completing her First Holy Communion and Confirmation.

Natalia was a Taos High School graduate of 2022 where she excelled in her studies and her sport of being a Taos High Varsity Cheerleader. She worked hard alongside her team becoming a 3x State Champion and Runner Up. To continue Natalia’s education, she attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona for her first year of higher education, in the year 2022-2023. Looking forward to being closer to her family and friends she will be attending The University of New Mexico for the 2023-2024 academic year.

NATALIA’S SPONSORS

PRINCESA ARIANA JULIETTE RUTH MAESTAS

Ariana Juliette Ruth Maestas was born on May 12, 2006. She is currently a student at Taos Academy Charter School and will be graduating next May. She has earned Science awards at the Regional and State level for the last four years. This year she made it to the Regional Science Fair In Las Vegas, NM, and won 1st place in her category, Medicine & Health. She competed at the state competition in Socorro, NM, and received second place in her category of Behavioral, Social Sciences, Biomedical & Health in addition to two special awards. She has competed and made it to Nationals in Washington, D.C.

Upon graduating, she plans on either enlisting in the Air Force or the Army and is thinking about becoming an early childhood teacher. For 4 years she has been in the Civil Air Patrol. She has also participated in a dance group for eight years with Lucita Trujillo, and now helps mentor other students in the class.

She is the daughter of Michelle Maestas and the late Moises Maestas, her siblings are, Naticia, Miranda, Jonathan, Shawn, Dominic and Tanya, her great Grandparents are the late Flavio and Antia Abeyta, Bences and Corina Maestas and Ernest and Carmen Velarde. Ariana has a very loving, caring family and has a passion as an assistant Mayordoma at the San Francisco de Asis Church.

ARIANA’S SPONSORS

PRINCESA ZAIRA YARELY RUIZ

Zaira Yarely Ruiz, was born on April 24, 2007. While her birth was planned in Taos, by God’s grace and doctors’ orders she was born in Bernalillo due to a high-risk pregnancy. She is currently a Junior at Taos High School. She loves to dance and was a member of the Mystic Dance Team where she competed in national competitions. She was also involved with a UNM program for High School students called STEM.

She dreams of being a music producer one day. She had been a volunteer for special events at Taos Health Care, also known as the Taos Living Center. She was a gymnast at the age of 6. At a very young age she participated in the first Mariachi Band for Enos Garcia Elementary. At age 2 she participated in the Children’s Parade as a flower and at age 8 as a Moana character. She enjoys family time and alone time watching shows and creating diamond art.

Her family heritage is from Mexico, but they moved to the USA 22 years ago, making her Mexican by blood and American by birth. She has an older sister Karen A Ruiz (Cortez) and brother Jael S. Ruiz. Her parents are Angel Ruiz and Monica Mandujano (Ruiz). Her paternal grandparents are the late Angel Ruiz Senior and Rosa Maria Gandara (Ruiz). Her maternal grandparents are Monico Mandujano and the late Maria del Carmen Chavez.

ZARIA’S SPONSORS