On Friday April 11, 2014 in Troy High School Auditorium Halee Mollette, a 12th grader at Newton High School was crowned Strawberry Festival Queen for 2014. For her talent Halee perform a solo of the song I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Miserables After high school Halee plans to travel to as many places as possible.
Her immediate plans include traveling to Haiti to perform mission work. She is a member of Newton High School's Student Council, writes poetry, and has participated in numerous community service projects including participating in National Leadership Week, volunteering at Pat's Soup Kitchen and collecting stuffed animals for the Fire Department for kids who have lost everything in a fire. She believes that the most popular person in the world is the United States President. She said, "I believe the President is the most popular because the world looks to our county for guidance and advice. Everyone wants to come here and the President is the person that represents our country to the world." She will receive a $1200 scholarship sponsored by Dr. Charles Stevens, DDS, D. Mark Bentley, DDS and Dr. Jules Jones, DDS.
The first runner-up Morgan McKinney is a senior at Troy High School. Morgan will perform the duties of the queen if Halee is unable to fulfill them. Morgan performed a Broadway solo of I Enjoy Being a Girl from the musical Flower Drum Girl. Morgan belongs to the organization Young Women of Distinction. The organization teaches leadership skills including time management and personal responsibility. The young women then teach these skills to younger children. Morgan already has a bucket list. She said, "It helps me keep track of all the things I want to do in my life. I want to travel and/ or backpack through Europe, parasail, skydive, and go to college among other things." She said, "my proudest moment will be this spring when I graduate from high school with an Associate's degree." Morgan will receive an $800 scholarship sponsored by DP & L to continue her education.
The second runner-up, Caroline Elsass-Smith, is a junior at Troy High School. Caroline played a violin solo Sonata #4 in D Major by Handel. Caroline participated in the CISV International (formerly Children's International Summer Villages) when she was 11. She spent several weeks in Hamburg, Germany with other 11-year-olds from around the world. During the summer camp, the children from different countries participate in simple activities that promote peace and understanding of each other. Caroline has also traveled to London, England with the Troy Marching Band to perform in the New Year's Day parade. She loves music and has performed in the musical Chicago as Mary Sunshine. She said, "Miami County is the best place to live. It is so exciting; there is always something going on. You can always find something to do." Caroline received a $600 scholarship from A.M. Leonard and Sons and the Miami Co. Visitors Bureau for her future education.
Taylor Merrick won the first annual People's Choice Award. She was selected by the members of the audience following the talent show and on-stage interviews through the audience members' phone browsers. She performed a ballet dance to "The Highest Point". She is a junior at Tipp City High School and has been dancing for 14 years. She is planning to go to Haiti this summer to perform mission work. Taylor loves to read. Her favorite book is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. She plans on becoming a Biomedical Engineer or a Marine Biologist. If she could volunteer anywhere she said, "I would volunteer in a food pantry so that I can give to others what they can't afford." She received a $175 gift card to Giacomo's Salon and Spa and Hittle's Jewelry.
The evening began with a Welcome from Jennie Hewitt, Pageant Chairperson. She thanked this year's sponsors: Brittney's Cakes, Hittle's Jewelry, FedEx Office in Troy, Trojan Florist, and Troy Sports Center. Then she introduced Dee Mahan, the Mistress of Ceremonies for the Evening. The twenty-one 2014 contestants dressed in evening gowns, entered the auditorium to the song Happy by Pharrell Williams. The contestants introduced themselves.
Mahan then recognized Mayor Michael Beamish and thanked him for his support and "everything he does for the city of Troy." Mayor Beamish announced the next Royalty event for the Strawberry Festival, which is the Golden Couple event on April 26, 2014. The event honors couples who have been married for 50+ years.
Last year's Little Mr. and Miss Strawberry and Miss Jr. Strawberry were introduced. Mr. Strawberry, Cotter Haywood loves Legos. His favorites are the Star Wars Legos because they are "cool machines." Little Miss Strawberry, Wilma Miller loves to ice skate at Hobart Arena. She can perform four twirls at one time. Maria Locker, last year's Ambassador for Miss Jr. Strawberry said, "It is a lot of fun. I especially like the parades." She encouraged young girls to participate, "Don't be nervous. It is really a breeze and a lot of fun."
Next Mahan introduced this year's Parade Grand Marshals. Marilyn and Stewart Lipp will be leading the parade which will be a non-motorized event this year.
After the Grand Marshals were introduced, the main event of the evening, the event that everyone had been waiting for, got under way. This included the talent contest and the onstage-interviews. However, the actual competition started long before Friday night's pageant. The contestants had to complete an extensive application, which had to be postmarked on or before March 10, 2014. The first event was a Queen's Candidate Information Tea on March 23, 2014 at the Troy Hayner Cultural Center at which time the candidates pictures were taken for Facebook. The judges conducted a personal, mandatory, off-stage interview on April 9, 2014. The candidates were required to participate in three practice sessions, April 7, April 8, and April 10, 2014. Points were taken off the candidates final score if they missed any of the practices.
For each candidate for the on-stage interview, Mahon asked questions based on the application they filed out. In addition, the three judges asked each candidate a question for which they could not prepare. The candidates’ final score was of combination of the on-stage interview, the off-stage interview, the talent competition and practice attendance.
Although there could only be one queen crowned, the word of the evening was "Wow!" This group of young women represented some of the best talent in Miami County. Some highlights from the show included: Bailie Scheer’s work to increase awareness of bullying and her rendition of What Love Really Means to Me, Courtney Owens who wants to become a nurse and return to the orphanage in China where she was placed as an infant and provide medical assistance to the orphans and Sarah Ray’s version of Let It Be in American Sign Language. With this group of young women in charge, Miami County can look to a very bright future.
