Candidates compete for Fayette County Fair Queen title

Brian Smith
Contributing Writer

            The Fayette County Fair is set to run from July 23-27, with the coronation of the 2013 Fayette County Fair Queen scheduled for Friday, July 26, at 8 p.m. in the Grandstand. The following young ladies are competing for the honor of Fair Queen this year:

            Miss West Union Julie Breuer is the daughter of Joe and Carolyn Breuer of West Union. She will be entering her senior year at North Fayette Valley High School this fall. Her hobbies and interests include cheerleading, working out, camping, fishing, hunting, and spending time with her family. In school she has been involved in track, choir, band and chorus, and was selected as a member of the 2012 Homecoming Court.

            Julie works part-time at NuCara Pharmacy and Anytime Fitness. She is a member of Holy Name Catholic Church and is also a member of the National Honor Society. She plans to attend the University of Iowa after she graduates from high school and study to be a pharmacist.

Julie is being sponsored by the West Union Chamber of Commerce.

Miss Arlington Samantha Hansel is the daughter of Lenny and Janel Hansel of Arlington. She has been active in volleyball and has served as the manager for the basketball team while attending Starmont High School, where she will be a senior this school year. Samantha enjoys playing the guitar and working with her church’s tech team on PowerPoint presentations. A member of the Girl Scouts for nine years, she was a recipient of the Silver Award for that organization.

Samantha is a National Merit Scholarship candidate and has a strong interest in science. She plans to attend college and major in biology or sound engineering.  

She is being sponsored by the Arlington Community Club.

            Miss Clermont Katlyn Guyer will be a senior at North Fayette Valley High School this year. She is the daughter of Jeremy and Laurie Guyer of Clermont. Katlyn enjoys spending  her time with friends and family, playing basketball, and babysitting. School activities that she has been involved in include basketball and cheerleading. She is also a member of FFA, in which she earned a seventh place medal for fruit sales.

            Katlyn has been on the honor roll at school and has also volunteered time  working at Heritage Farm Park in Clermont. She is interested in OB nursing as a career because she loves children and being around people. She plans on attending Hawkeye Community College after she graduates from high school.

Katlyn is being sponsored by the Clermont Community Club.

            Miss Elgin Koree Olson is the daughter of Brian and Krista Thomas of Elgin and Tim and Konnie Olson of Clermont. She was active in volleyball, track, cheerleading, speech, drama, and chorus while attending Valley. Koree enjoys swimming, being with friends, and shopping.

            Olson graduated with high honors from Valley in May and plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa. While there she plans to study psychology because she has an interest in “trying to figure people out and find out what goes on in their head.”

Koree is being sponsored by the Elgin Community Betterment Club.

Miss Fayette Danielle Abernathy graduated from North Fayette High School in May and is looking forward to attending Kirkwood Community College this fall. She is the daughter of Kirk and Shelly Abernathy of Fayette. Danielle has been involved in numerous activities at school, including speech, drama, cheerleading, softball, and golf. She was also a Peer Helper in the high school and a member of National Honor Society.

            Danielle enjoys singing, cycling and water sports. She is an active member of the United Methodist Church where she sings in the choir and helps with Vacation Bible School. She also volunteers time helping out at Fayette Watermelon Days. Because she has a strong interest in science and likes to help others, Danielle plans to study science and health care in college.

Danielle is being sponsored by Gavin’s IGA.

Miss Hawkeye Kayleigh Koch, the daughter of Dwane and Roni Sue Koch of Hawkeye, will be a junior at North Fayette Valley High School this fall. Her interests include volleyball, basketball, softball, swimming, and babysitting. She also works at K & K Gardens and is a member of FFA.

            Kayleigh participates in band, Student Council, and the Food and Fitness program at school. She has also been a Sunday school teacher, a member of 4-H, and a volunteer tutor. Koch received the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) award as an eighth-grader and continues her involvement in community service projects through 4-H and FFA. She plans to attend Central College, where she hopes to study physical therapy. She enjoys working with people and wants to help them overcome and prevent injuries.

Kayleigh is being sponsored by the Hawkeye Businessmen’s Association.

Miss Maynard Megan West graduated from West Central High School and is the daughter of Bonnie West and John and Hope West of Maynard. Her interests include art, music, bowling, camping, and spending time with family and friends. While in school she participated in band, Siblings by Choice, was a football trainer, and was a Boomerang teacher in the elementary school.

            Megan has also served as a religion teacher for kindergarten and first-grade students at St. Francis of Assisi Church and gone on mission trips. She enjoys working with those who are mentally handicapped. She plans to attend Iowa Central Community College, where she will continue to bowl and also participate in marching band. Megan’s career interests include nursing and culinary arts, because she likes to help people and enjoys cooking.

Megan is being sponsored by the Maynard Community Club.

            Miss Oelwein Danielle Kanour enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and being active in her community and school. She is the daughter of Ted and Julie Phillips of Oelwein. Danielle has participated in swimming, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and softball. She will be a senior at Oelwein High School this fall, where she is involved in band, choir, speech, color guard, drama, and Student Council. She is a member of National Honor Society and Business Professionals of America, and has received state honors in speech

            Danielle plans to attend the University of Iowa to major in social work and minor in Spanish. She hopes to eventually gain her Ph.D. in child psychology; she would like to “help children who are in need and help change their lives for the better.”

Danielle is being sponsored by the Oelwein Chamber of Commerce.

            Miss Wadena Mallory Burrack, daughter of Dan and Teresa Burrack of Wadena, graduated from Valley High School in May 2013. While in school, she was active in basketball, volleyball, softball, golf, and chorus. She graduated with high honors, was selected as All-Conference Honorable Mention in basketball, and was a Homecoming queen candidate.

            Mallory enjoys camping with her family, kayaking, and music. She plans to attend the University of Iowa this fall to pursue a career in radiology. She chose this career because she likes to help people and radiology interests her.

Mallory is being sponsored by the Wadena-Illyria Community Betterment Club.

            Miss Waucoma Noelle Berst will be a senior at Turkey Valley High School this fall. She is the daughter of Todd and Carla Berst of Waucoma. Noelle has a variety of interests, including dancing, fishing, tubing, arts and crafts, sewing, and photography. She is a member of National Honor Society and has been involved in Student Senate, volleyball, softball, cheerleading, chorus, speech, and anti-tobacco groups at school. She is also a member of Lutheran Youth Organization and has been a part of several community service projects.

            Noelle has received several blue ribbons for her 4-H projects, and she participated in the Belin-Blank Summer Institute and the National Scholars Institute. She plans to attend Wartburg College after graduation, where she hopes to study social work. She wants to work with children, families and schools, helping them to cope with challenges and overcome their problems.

            Noelle is being sponsored by the City of Waucoma.

            Also representing her community at the fair but not competing as an official queen candidate is Miss St. Lucas Allison Dietzenbach. She is the daughter of Mark and Deb Dietzenbach of Ft. Atkinson and attended Turkey Valley High School. She has been involved in several school activities, including chorus, band, drama, speech and track.She also served as a manager for the basketball team.

            Allison’s interests include singing, playing her clarinet, dancing, kayaking, biking, reading, and photography. She is also active at St. Luke Catholic Church, is a member of 4-H, and helps her parents on their family farm. She plans to attend Iowa State University and major in history; she enjoys learning about the past and how it relates to the world today. 

Allison is being sponsored by the town of St. Lucas.