The 2024 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s Pageant contestant Annistyn Faith Griffin may have randomly drawn ‘Contestant #2’ from a basket of contestant numbers, but by the end of the night it would be clear that she was number one.
Griffin, a junior at Durant High School who is also dual-enrolled at Hillsborough Community College, was crowned the 2024 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen.
While on stage, before the top five contestants were announced, even though her mind was filled with a flood of emotions, she said she felt at peace. “It was a peaceful day and I felt that whatever was in God’s plan and whatever door he wanted to open for me, that’s the door that would be opened,” she said.
When she heard her name called for the top five, she was thrilled. When emcees announced she was queen, her knees buckled and the emotions that were so contained came pouring out. “I just remember looking up and seeing my family launch out of their seats,” she said. “I was so overwhelmed with a lot of love from the support of my family and community.”
Her parents are Artis and Jennifer Griffin.
Griffin’s extracurricular activities include playing Varsity and Club volleyball, showing steers at the Florida Strawberry Festival Youth Steer Show and participating in her church’s youth group. She is also a member of several academic honor societies, including National Honor Society and National English Honor Society. She has more than 150 volunteer hours, including service at South Florida Baptist Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. She spoke about that time in service during her impromptu interview question. “Two years ago I was in the patients’ shoes,” she said. “I was just trying to find my joy and I made a promise to myself that I’d not only choose joy but be able to impact my community. I’m hoping to become the 2024 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen to be able to give back and share my joy with others like I did back in the hospital.”
Now that she wears the crown, she looks forward to sharing her joy with others. “I see my role as being a leader but also being an ambassador for this community,” she said. “I remember when I was a little girl looking up to the strawberry queen and her court and wanting to be just like them.”
She hopes to live in such a way that little girls will look up to her and her court. “I think it’s very important that you continue to have your morals and stay true to yourself, no matter if eyes are watching or not,” she said.
She also looks forward to serving with the other court members.“We’re going to be a great team together and we already have so much love for each other and can’t wait to radiate that onto our community,” she said. “I’m excited for it and I know the other girls are too.”
Q: What is your experience in pageantry?
Back in 2017, I competed in Little Miss Plant City for the second time and was named First Maid. Then in 2023, I was Miss January in the Durant High School Calendar Girl pageant.
Q: What’s your favorite part of Florida
Strawberry Festival?
My favorite part would have to be the community. This community is just one big family. You can’t walk down the midway without seeing somebody that you know. This community is so loving and supportive of not only the exhibitors in the agricultural building but everybody here. I also love our hometown vendors. It’s such a special feeling to now be an ambassador for this festival and this community.
Q: What’s your favorite Florida Strawberry Festival food?
It’s Ms. Cindy Griffin (I’m not related to her). She serves this bowl of chocolate and strawberries and you get to dip them. You can dip your strawberries in as much chocolate as you want. I dip them and then after I’ve eaten the strawberries I have leftover chocolate and just take a spoon and eat the chocolate. I’m obsessed with it. They’re so good. When you show steers, you’re here every day. I’d go down there every day and I became so familiar they just say ‘welcome back.’
Q: Who’s your role model and why?
My role model would definitely have to be Morgan Rummage, my devotional group leader at my church, Bell Shoals Baptist in Brandon because she is such a confident person. She’s just a light in my life and she gives great advice and is just a really good human. I love her a lot.
Q: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for
helping you reach your goal?
I’d like to thank my community. Two years ago, I fell off a golf cart and was in the ICU for five days with a head trauma. I suffered a traumatic brain injury with two brain bleeds. Two weeks later, I was flipped upside down in a Jeep and my community literally saved me then. I owe it all to them. When I was going through those two accidents, the community supported me so much and made me feel so valued. And to be in a position to give back and bring joy and positivity in this next year is such an exciting and honoring thing for me.
I’ve been through a lot but wouldn’t change a single thing that’s happened because it’s made me the person I am today.
I would also have to say Jessi Rae because I was never able to talk about anything that I’ve gone through without bawling my eyes out and she was able to just help me gain confidence and be able to speak about my testimony. She’s just made me feel so much more confident in myself and my abilities to be able to serve this community and represent Plant City.
My second person I’d like to thank would have to be my twin sister, Addison, and my big sister because even though my twin sister didn’t get on the court, seeing her reaction backstage was just something I’ll never forget. She’s been my number one cheerleader since leaving the womb. I couldn’t have asked for two better sisters.
I’d also like to thank my mom and my dad because of their sacrifices. they’ve always put their daughters first and reminded us that we’re fearfully and wonderfully made and just being their daughters and reminding us to be ourselves has made the biggest impact on me.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about your year on the Court?
I’m most looking forward to being able to represent my community with these four girls beside me. They’re just such beautiful girls inside and out and strong Christian girls that have amazing morals and I know without a doubt this year’s going to be amazing because I have them by my side.