13 competing for 2015 Junior Fair royalty

Van Wert County Junior Fair information

With the 2015 Van Wert County Fair quickly approaching, the Junior Fair Coronation Committee has announced this year’s candidates for king and queen and species prince or princess.

As this will be the 50th year for the Junior Fair coronation ceremony, all past king and queen winners will be recognized right before the ceremony, which will take place at 5 p.m. Sunday, August 30, at the fairgrounds.

Queen candidates this year include the following:

Chloee Gamble, daughter of Greg and Keely Gamble, will be a senior at Van Wert High School this fall. She is a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club, Student Council, Spanish Club, Service Pack, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was a Buckeye Girls’ State delegate. She also participates in cross country, swimming, track, band and choir. Gamble is a member of the Shooting Stars 4-H Club and Junior Fair Board. She is also an active participant in the Ohio City Community Church youth group and worship team.

Katelyn Welch, daughter of Rob and Jacque Welch, will be a senior at Van Wert High School. School activities include being a member of Beta Club, French Club, Varsity V Club, Service Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Scarlet Squad, Concert Choir, Select Choir, a Renaissance gold cardholder and an academic letter award winner. She also is a varsity football and basketball cheerleader. Welch has also been a dancer at Kim Hohman’s DanceWorks for 15 years and will be dancing at the “Dr. Oz Show” in April 2016.

She is a member of the Van Wert All Star Cheer Squad and First Presbyterian Church of Van Wert. She is also a 12-year member of the Bunny Hoppers 4-H Club and is the current club president. She assisted in the fundraising for the new rabbit barn in 2014 and was the 4-H club “Member of the Week” in June 2015. She was also the 2012 Rabbit Queen. She has earned various awards throughout her 12 years as a member, including being a state fair qualifier. Welch would like to be queen in order to influence others to pursue leadership in the Van Wert Junior Fair.

Emily Bauer, 18, is the daughter of Dan and Beth Bauer and Ginger Hurless. She attends Crestview High School, where she will be a senior this fall. She is current treasurer of the Crestview FFA and FCCLA. She is a member of the honor roll, National Honor Society, Student Council treasurer and was a class representative. She has competed in softball for six years, basketball for 11 years and volunteers much of her time for numerous organizations. She also announces for the school’s baseball team and tutors students after school. Bauer attends Redeemer Lutheran Church and is a member of its youth group. She is a Junior Fair Board member and was previously a member of the Ohio Challengers and Young Riders 4-H clubs. Her future plans after graduation are to attend college and double major in accounting and agribusiness, and she also plans to continue her basketball career.

Catlyn Richey, daughter of Patrick Richey, will be a senior at Lincolnview High School. She is a member of the FFA (where she is a sentinel), Benefit Council, Science Club and holds an office for the choir. She attends St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert and is a member of the youth group. Upon graduation, Richey wants to attend the University of Northwestern Ohio and pursue a career in agribusiness.

Maddie Pohlman, 17, is the daughter of Paul and Donna Pohlman. She attends Delphos St. John’s High School, where she will be a senior this year. She is an active member in 4-H and is currently club president. Pohlman has played volleyball for nine years, basketball for six years and is a member of the National Honor Society. She attends St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and is very active within the church as an altar server, greeter and Eucharistic minister. She is also a member of St. John’s Mission Society and holds the position of president. Pohlman has shown goats for two years and has been a 4-H camp counselor for two years as well. Her future plans after graduation are to attend four-year college, double majoring in dietetics and exercise science.

Savannah Bigham, daughter of Tom and Jody Bigham, will be a senior at Lincolnview High School. She is a member of the soccer team, track and field, FFA (where she is president), band, Science Club and Beta Club. She is also a member of the Junior Fair Board.

She attends Trinity United Methodist Church, where she is a member of the youth group. After graduation, Bigham would like to attend a four-year college and pursue an agriculture-related degree.

Whitney Welker is the daughter of Michael and Ruth Welker. She will be a senior at Lincolnview High School, where she participates in track, cross country, Beta Club, Science Club, Student Council, Agents of Change and FFA (where she is vice president. She attends First Baptist Church and is active in her youth group. Welker is also a member of the Venedocia Lads and Lassies, Junior Fair Board, Buckeye Ambassadors, and Car-teens. Upon graduating, she plans to attend Ohio State University-Wooster in the fall of 2016 with a major in agronomy.

Morgan Curran, daughter of Karyn and Mike Curran, will be a junior at Delphos St. John’s High School. At school, she is the mascot for football and basketball and is a member of SADD. She also helps with her church’s bible school. Curran is member of the Udder Dairy Club (of which is president) and was the 2014 dairy species princess. After graduating, Curran would like to join the United States Air Force to become an officer.

Junior Fair king candidates are as follows:

Ronnie Schumm, the son of Robin and Mike Schumm, will be a senior at Crestview High School. There, he is a member of the FFA chapter (where he is serving as president), National Honor Society and the golf team. He is a 10-year member of the Barnyard Buddies 4-H Club and is serving his second year as president. During 4-H, he has shown beef cattle, hogs and sheep and has taken woodworking and self-determined projects. Schumm is also a member of the Junior Fair Board and is serving his second term as president. In FFA, he has earned the Star Greenhand and State Farmer degrees. He attends Zion Lutheran Church, where he is an usher and a member of the dartball team. He is a junior firefighter with the Wren Volunteer Fire Department and works on the family farm, where he helps with the crops, beef cattle and swine.

Travis Lichtensteiger is the son of Janice and Dave Lichtensteiger. He will be a senior at Crestview High School this fall, where he participates in the marching, concert and pep bands. Last year, he participated in his school’s musical, Shrek. Lichtensteiger is involved in Boy Scouts, where he is an eagle scout for Troop 45 of Convoy, NYLT, Crestview FFA (where he earned his state degree), Harrison Jolly Boosters and 4-H Exchange clubs, where he has held numerous officer positions. He is a volunteer for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and is a junior curator with the Van Wert Historical Society. This summer, Lichtensteiger was an American Legion delegate to Buckeye Boys’ State. He will also be traveling to Japan this summer to represent the Boy Scouts of America at the World Scout Jamboree. He works on his family farm. In his spare time, Lichtensteiger enjoys playing basketball, soccer, hiking, being with his friends and playing guitar. After graduation, he plans to attend The Ohio State University, majoring in agriculture.

Derrick Jewell, son Niki Stahl and Rick Jewell, is a 2015 graduate of Wayne Trace High School.  During high school, he participated in baseball and golf, and was a member of the FFA Chapter, where he was vice president his senior year. He was a member of the Student Council and was chairman his senior year. Jewell is a member of the Delphos Pathfinders 4-H Club and his local church, and has participated in various community projects and contests. Jewell will be attending Ohio State University-Lima and then transfer to the University of Cincinnati, where he will major in mechanical engineering.

Returning this year is the crowning of species princes or princesses. Candidates include Katie Hughes, Maddie Pohlman, Savannah Bigham, Whitney Welker, Sophie Wilson, Morgan Curran and Travis Lichtensteiger.

Katie Hughes, daughter of Brad and Susan Hughes, will be a junior at Crestview High School and is vying for the title of goat princess. At Crestview, she is a second-year varsity cheerleader and is a member of the track team. She is also involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, marching and concert band and musicals. She is an active member of Convoy United Methodist Church, where she is a member of the youth group and volunteers. She is also a member of Pleasant View Youth Group. Hughes is a 10-year member of Van Wert County 4-H and has been a member of four different clubs since her first year. She is a current member of the 4-H Exchange, Buckeye Ambassadors, Junior Fair Board and is a camp counselor.

Sophie Wilson, daughter of Mike and Wendy Wilson, will be a senior at Delphos Jefferson High School and is running for sheep princess. At school, she is a varsity football and competition cheerleader, varsity softball player, wrestling statistician and is highly involved in the Delphos FFA chapter. Her FFA supervised agricultural experience project is showing market lambs, and she currently holds the position of chapter president.

Wilson has also earned her Greenhand, Chapter and State degrees. She was the 2014 Junior Fair queen and will be handing down her title this year. She is also involved in 4-H, where she shows beef cattle. Wilson is a Junior Fair Board member and is currently vice president, and was also a camp counselor. She is a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church.

After graduation, Wilson plans on attending college to major in agribusiness.