Jr. Fair king, queen, princess info released

VW independent/submitted information

The Van Wert County Junior Fair organization has released the names of those seeking the titles of Junior Fair king and queen and species prince or princess. Coronation for Junior Fair royalty will be held this Sunday, August 18, at 2 p.m., in the Marsh Foundation’s Bagley Auditorium.

Candidates are as follows:

Torie Bockey, the daughter of Doug and Sherry Bockey, is running for 2019 Junior Fair queen. She is a graduate of Spencerville High School and is representing Spencerville FFA. During her years in FFA, she has shown chickens. Bockey is a member of the Junior Fair Board and is also the 2019 runner-up peony queen. In FFA, she served as president and chapter reporter. Bockey has received her Ohio State FFA degree and served on the Ag Engineering Team, Public Speaking, Parli-Pro Team, Elementary Ag Day Chairman, and Fall Fest Chairman. Torie belonged to the Spencerville National Honor Society, Spanish Club, served on Student Council and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Spencerville Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America. Sports activities included junior varsity basketball and varsity cross country and track. Bockey is a member of Hartford Independent Baptist Church, where she works in the nursery and toddlers’ room and is a Sunday school teaching assistant.  

The Spencerville FFA has brought great joy into Torie’s life and impacted her by pushing her into a strong and independent young lady. Through FFA, she joined the Van Wert County Junior Fair Board. These organizations prepared her for her future.

Torie feels that she would best represent the Van Wert County as Fair Queen by empowering and encouraging all exhibitors to continue showing at the fair and expand their knowledge in agriculture.

Torie will be attending Rhodes State College for occupational therapy.

Michael Joseph is the son of Kirby and Sammi Joseph. Michael is running for the 2019 Junior Fair King. He is a member of the Ohio Challengers 4-H Club. Michael will be a senior at Crestview High School. In 4-H he has taken several different kinds of food projects including yeast bread, quick bread, sports nutrition, and I spy in the kitchen. He has also taken several Beef Breeding projects. Thru Junior Fair he has done activities including 4-H Camp counselor, vice president of Ohio Challengers, historian, and treasurer. He has won several awards for his club’s officer books. Michael is on the National Honor Society. He has attended Buckeye Boys State, squad leader of the band, and he is an anti-bullying class representative. Through his church, he has helped with Vacation Bible School and went on mission trips to Haiti and Alabama. He is a church usher and has helped with at the food pantry. 4-H has taught him to be a leader, and he has learned interview skills and parliamentary procedures. 4-H has also taught him to give back to his community and allowed him to become a friend to younger kids.

Michael feels he would represent Van Wert County Fair king well, because of the leadership skills he has learned through his many years in 4-H.

Laney Jones, daughter of Steve and Trisha Jones, is a senior at Crestview High School. She is a member of the 4-H Exchange Club and Ohio Challengers 4-H Club. She is also a member of Crestview FFA. In 4-H, Laney has taken projects including Shopping Savvy, swine, sheep, and photography. She has been intermediate swine showman and was 2016 Swine Princess. She is a member of the Junior Fair Board, where she serves as secretary and is on the Coronation Committee, Swine Committee, and Quality Assurance/DUNF Committee. In Crestview FFA, Laney is the current president and has served as treasurer. She has participated on the FFA Farm Business Management Team, Parliamentary Procedure Team, and office of chaplain. She has also received her FFA Chapter Degree.

Laney’s community activities beyond 4-H and FFA include Buckeye Girls State, National Honor Society, teacher’s aide, Crestview Junior Class secretary, chorus member and secretary. She has participated on club volleyball team, softball, and basketball teams. Laney is a scholar athlete. She is also a member of Buckeye Show Circuit, National Junior. Swine Association, and attends St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Landeck.

Through 4-H, Laney has gained life skills such as following through on commitments, respect, patience and responsibility. FFA has taught her organizational skills, time management, enhanced her public speaking skills, and given her the willingness to try new things.

She would best represent Van Wert County as Junior Fair queen to inspire younger generations to represent the fair in a positive manner. She aspires to continue being an ambassador for the youth by educating them on various aspects of the Junior Fair and all it has to offer.

Cassie Priest, daughter of Bob Priest and Kara Kreger, is a senior at Van Wert High School. She is a member of the Shooting Stars 4-H Club. Cassie has served as Shooting Stars treasurer, secretary, and vice president. Her projects include market sheep, horses, market pigs, and dairy feeders. As a 4-H member, she has served as a 4-H Camp counselor, 4-H Ambassador, and Junior Fair Board member. She has also worked with sixth grade students through the 4-H After School Program.

Outside of 4-H, Cassie is active in the St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church youth group and is a teen volunteer at Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. At Van Wert High School she is on the volleyball and swim teams, a member of the FCA, FCCLA, Yearbook Committee, Beta Club, and is basketball team manager.

Through her sponsoring organizations, Cassie has gained valuable skills, including responsibility, time management, organization, and interpersonal social skills. She has created many positive friendships that will last a lifetime.

Cassie would best represent Van Wert County as the Junior Fair queen by striving to inspire local youth to be more involved with the 4-H and FFA programs. She would encourage them to branch out and try new projects every year. As Junior Fair queen, she would be able to gain valuable knowledge about other county fair programs and events. She then could utilize this information to help inform decisions to continue improving our own programs. 

Austin Sheets is the son of Briana and Tonya Sheets. Austin is running for the 2019 Junior Fair king. He is a graduate of Crestview High School, and he will be attending Wright State University-Lake Campus in the fall. Austin is a member of the Udder Dairy Club, his Junior Fair projects include dairy heifers and cows.

Junior Fair related groups include Junior Fair Board, member of the awards committee, cattle, showman of showman, Coronation, Animal Dress-up, horses, and Junior Fair exhibits. He has held the positions of president, vice president, secretary, reporter, Quality Assurance instructor, and Extension office helper.

Austin’s school activities include National Honor Society, Student Council, Knight Vision Show Choir, teacher’s aide, basketball and football manager, softball announcer, and track stat taking. At church, he teaches Christ for kids every Wednesday and helps around the sound room.

4-H has impacted his life by being a role model for younger generations to look up to.

Austin would best represent the Van Wert Fair king by interacting with the younger kids and help with all different shows and being a role model for the younger generation.

Hanna Scaggs is the daughter of Kris and Nicole Scaggs. She will be a senior at Lincolnview High School. She is a member of Lincolnview FFA and the Hoaglin Farmers 4-H club. Her Junior Fair projects include chickens, woodworking, rabbits, and swine. Hanna is the secretary for her FFA, she has served on dairy judging teams, Food Science team, job interview, general livestock team, and she is a member of the Junior Board and a 4-H camp counselor. Hanna’s school and community activities include National Honor Society, a volunteer at church, and she has gone on a mission trip to New York and worked in the food pantry. At school, she is in choir, soccer, bowling, softball, and beta club. Hanna also plays softball at Middle Point and dances at Kim Homan’s DanceWorks.

4-H and FFA have both impacted her life by making her a better individual by facing her biggest fear, which is speaking in front of others and learning about the economic value of animals.

She would best represent the Van Wert County Fair as queen because of her many qualities. She has a great passion for the fair and wants everyone to experience the fair just as she does. As one big family coming together for a week.

Morgan Dowler is the daughter of Stephen and Casey Dowler. She is running for the 2019 Van Wert Junior Fair queen. She is a senior at Crestview High School. She is a member of the Ohio Challengers 4-H Club, Van Wert 4-H Exchange Club, and FFA. 

Her Junior Fair projects include FFA farm business management (CDE), crop husbandry, corn and soybean entry, 4-H You and Your Dog, You Can Quilt, photography, Pocket Pets, Getting Started in Art, Shopping Savvy, and scrapbooking. 

She has held the offices of 4-H secretary, president, treasurer, health and safety reporter, and recreation leader. In FFA, she was on the FDM team, Parli-Pro Team, and is a Star Greenhand. Her community activities include National Honor Society, FCCLA, president of Student Council, KEY program, Latch Key Program, FCA, Crestview Blue Club, and Art Club. She attends Redeemer Lutheran Church and is in the church’s youth group. 

The organizations she is involved in have impacted her life by teaching her organizational skills, respect, time management, and allowed her to be a part of multiple hands-on experiences. 

Morgan would best represent Van Wert County Fair queen by standing out among the crowd. She feels not only are the animals and livestock important, but also the agriculture and miscellaneous projects help the fair succeed.

Chloe Kroeger is the daughter of Dave and Shelly Kroeger. She is running for Goat or Swine Princess. Chloe is a member of the Venedocia Lads and Lassies 4-H Club. She is a freshman at Delphos Jefferson High School. Showing animals at the fair has helped her become more outgoing and to be a leader for others. Her favorite part is watching her animals grow. Chloe likes showing and listening to the judge, so she can learn and improve every year. 

Chloe feels that if chosen to represent goats or swine, she would enhance her leadership and communication skills.
Lillian Hempfling is the daughter of Chuck and Sue Hempfling. She is running for goat or dairy princess. Lilly is a junior at Delphos St. John’s High School. She is a member of the Udder Dairy Club. In the dairy department, Lily helps with the milk mustache in front of the dairy barn. She has helped with the landscaping and painting around the dairy barn. Through her years of raising and showing animals at the fair, she has learned responsibilities and challenges. Lilly has learned how to be a good showman and sportsman, and also how to work hard. Her favorite part of raising dairy cattle is training and preparing the heifers for show. And, her favorite part of raising goats is watching them grow and gain muscle, also sometimes winning Grand Champion Market Boer, which is the best feeling in the world. Lilly would like to represent either species because she has shown them for seven years and because she has shown hard work. Lilly also lives on a dairy farm and has knowledge and understanding of the dairy industry. 

Tara Radabaugh is the daughter of Paul and Michelle Radabaugh. She is running for Goat or Swine Princess. Tara is a member of the Venedocia Lads and Lassies 4-H Club. Tara is an eighth grader at Delphos Jefferson Middle School. She has helped her dad breed their goats, and she has shown others how to properly train and prep their goats for show. Tara has helped give birth to her family’s pigs and has raised pigs to show at the fair. 

She feels that she has become more independent and hard-working by showing her animals. Her favorite thing about showing is getting better every year at raising and showing her animals. She feels that she should be chosen to represent either species because she would be able to learn new ideas and could explain the knowledge she has gained to younger people. 

Breck Evans is the daughter of Thomas and JaNahn Evans. She is running for Equine Princess. Breck is a member of the Hoaglin Farmers 4-H Club and a freshman at Lincolnview High School. She gives riding lessons to little kids. Breck also has taught 4-H members to learn the pledge and has helped with club meetings. She has volunteered at the chicken barbecue and helped with community service by taking care of the garden. Through working with her horses she has learned responsibility and that you have to work hard to get the results you want. Her favorite part about showing horses isn’t about winning, but it is knowing that she put hard work into her horses. Breck would love to represent the equine species because of her passion for horses. She would promote her species by telling others how important it is to have animals that are healthy. 

Adeline Sorgen is the daughter Phil and Jill Sorgen. She is running for Sheep Princess. Addy is a freshman at Crestview High School. Her 4-H leadership activities include Sheep Clinic/Sale, Livestock Clinic, and Putnam County Open Show. Addy has learned that her involvement with Junior Fair has made her more competitive with local and open shows. This makes her aware of the commitment it takes to take care of animals. Addy’s favorite thing about showing sheep is meeting new people and seeing different places and animals. 

The reason she believes she should be sheep princess is because she would like to showcase and inform people about her favorite species. She would promote the sheep species by helping younger 4-H kids with any questions and teach them how to advance their sheep showing skills. 

Baylee Miller is the daughter of Rob and Vikki Miller. She is running for Beef Princess. Baylee is a freshman at Crestview High School and she is a member and the president of the Farmtastic 4-H Club. 

Baylee has held the office of secretary in her club. She is also a showmanship award winner with Dairy Beef Feeders. Baylee has also won junior and senior herdsman awards. Her involvement with Junior Fair and 4-H has taught her to be responsible, a hard worker, and a good communicator. 

Her favorite part of showing dairy feeders is getting to choose new calves each winter. She loves to see them grow throughout the months and watching them change as they get older. 

She would like to be Beef Princess to be a role model for younger children within 4-H and Clover Buds, by teaching them that through hard work you can reach your goals.

Alexis Parrish is the daughter of Penny and Jeff Parrish. She is running for Project Princess. Alexis is a sophomore at Crestview High School. She is a member of the Barnyard Buddies 4-H Club. Alexis volunteers at the Van Wert County Animal Shelter. She has made blankets for the elderly and participated in Dresses for Africa. She has worked at Bread and Bowl, preparing food and serving families in need. 

Alexis’s 4-H projects include photography, My Pet Rabbit, Clothing Embellishments, and beef feeders. 4-H has given her confidence through presentations and meeting new people. She would love to be project princess because it would be an honor to represent Van Wert County Fair and help others learn more as she still continues to learn. 

Melissa Joseph is the daughter of Kirby and Sammi Joseph. She is running for Project Princess. Melissa attends Crestview High School and is a member of the Ohio Challengers 4-H Club. Her activities at school include band, swing choir, seventh grade treasurer, soccer team member, she is a seventh grade football and basketball cheerleader, track team member and bowling team, and she is an honor student. 

Melissa’s church activities include junior high youth group, mission trips, food pantry weekly volunteer, and Vacation Bible School volunteer. She loves to read, sing, write poetry, and hangout with her friends. Her community service activities include trash pick-up at Edgewood Park and the Humane Society. 

Melissa’s 4-H projects include Fun with Clothes, Sew Fun, Sundresses and Jumpers, and Sewing for others. 

Through 4-H she has learned lifelong values of sewing. This has allowed her to help her family and friends have good conditioned clothing with no repairs. It has instilled in her the desire to help give back to others.