Submitted photo Corianne Warrick, standing in the back, poses with Linton-Stockton Elementary students from Karman Albright's kindergarten class. Warrick, a 2005 Linton-Stockton graduate, is one of 33 Indianapolis 500 Festival Princesses

The Linton woman is one of 33 chosen as Indy 500 Festival Princesses who will vie for one of this state's most prestigious titles - 500 Festival Queen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"The Princess Program is a wonderful program to get involved in," she said. "It's an opportunity for young women to be ambassadors and volunteers for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 500 Festival. We attend all the events and help out wherever we can - whether it's the finish lines at the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon or any of the other 500 Festival events."

The Princesses were selected early in February, from 263 applicants, state-wide.

"Some of our duties started as early as the end of February, so I've already been doing some events and outreach programs here at the (Linton) Elementary School. It gets busier as we get closer to the race day, so April and May is full for us," Corianne explained.

There's a good possibility that, during some of the upcoming events and hoopla, Corianne may get to rub elbows with some celebrities.

"I'm hoping, at least," she said.

She has never attended the world-renowned Indy 500 Festival, but watches it every year on TV.

Interviews will be held April 19. The Queen will be crowned May 17 at the 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard, and preside over "the greatest spectacle in racing" on Sunday, May 25.

The Princess candidates have "quite a wardrobe," Corianne noted. "We are sponsored by various places in Indianapolis, which is wonderful. Everything is given to us and sponsored for us so all 33 Princesses can look alike and match at all of our events. We're very lucky to have sponsors."

"It is a little scary," Corianne admitted. It's something new to all of us, so it's nice to have 32 other girls to go into it. I'm a little nervous about getting so busy around finals time. But I'm ready for the month of May."

The 21-year-old 2005 Linton-Stockton High School grad is a junior at the University of Saint Francis at Fort Wayne. She is majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry.

She was crowned the 2004 Miss Greene County.

She is the daughter of Tim and Joan Warrick. Tim is a Colonel in the U.S. Army, and Joan is the librarian at Linton High School. Corianne has an older brother and sister, Matt and Mary-Margaret Warrick.

"A couple of years ago, Corianne said she'd like to be an Indianapolis 500 Princess," Tim said. The next thing you know, she gets all of her paperwork together, does the interview, then we're doing the second interview, then it got down to 66. It was just one of those things she wanted to do."

"Joan and I are really proud of all our kids," Tim said.

"We can't wait for all the festivities," Joan admitted. "(The Princess Program) includes the families, especially the mothers, in a lot of the events. But there are a lot of the corporate things that the parents can't be a part of."

"You don't have to be from a big town to be successful and do things," Joan said.

Corianne is looking forward to the upcoming weeks.

"I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun," she said. "Everybody has tickets to the race, it's definitely going to be a big family event for us."