B44.anca«ter Farming, Saturday, March ij 1 toi
Alison Littlefield Is New York State Dairy Princess
SYRACUSE, N.Y. Alison
Littlefield from Watertown, N.Y.,
was crowned the 1997-1998 New
York State Dairy Princess on
February 18, at the Four Points
Hotel by Sheraton, Liverpool,
N.Y. Having served eight months
as the Jefferson County Dairy
Princess, Littlefield will devote an
additional year promoting milk
and dairy products in conjunction
with the American Dairy Associa
tion and Dairy Council, Inc.
(ADADC). As state princess, Lit
tlefield received a $1,200 scholar
ship and will represent ADADC at
county dairy princess pageants,
farm meetings, and a variety of
special events. In addition, she
will help train new county pro
moters at seminars and work
shops.
Littlefield received $ 1 SO for her
award-winning school presenta
tion and $75 for being recognized
as one of three scrapbook winners.
Teaching children about their
need for milk and dairy products,
the school presentation was called
“got milk?”, and was presented to
more than 400 people at the pag
eant. The 21-year-old daughter of
Clarence and Sharon Littlefield,
Alison grew up on a 50-cow
Guernsey farm with her two older
sisters.
She is a past president of the
NYS Jr. Guernsey Association
and was the 1995 NYS Guernsey-
Princess, a 10-year member of
4-H, Alison was named a NYS
Dairy Food winner and delegate to
the National 4-H Congress. Alison
graduated from SUNY Potsdam
last December with a dual degree
in speech communication and ele
mentary education. She has taught
students in England and is current
ly a substitute teacher in Water
town.
Melissa Osgood of Bliss, N.Y.,
in Wyoming County was named
First Alternate State Princess. She
received a $7OO scholarship and
$l5O for being named a speech
winner for her school program
“The Moo-ville Real Seal Olym
pics,” which talks about the im
portance of dairy products and the
REAL Seal. She was also recog
nized for her honorable mention
scrapbook. Osgood is the 16-year
old daughter of Dan and Pam Os
good. She is a junior at Pioneer
Alison Littlefield Performs her Award-Winning School
Presentation at the New York State Dairy Princess Pag-
*-— *■•
. (5 x
Jl >** *. .g
|nr _»■ 2SBP
Twenty-one-year-old Alison Littlefield, of Watertown, is crowned the 1997-98 New
York State Dairy Princess by retiring dairy princess Kelly West. Alternates Lois Lew
is from Cattaraugus County (left) and Melissa Osgood from Wyoming County (right)
look on.
High School, active in volleyball
and chorus. Osgood is active in
4-H, receiving many awards in
public speaking, agriculture, and
citizenship. She is also a Sunday
School teacher and volunteers as a
candy striper at her local hospital.
Lois . ewis of Great Valley,
N.Y., in Cattaraugus County was
selected as Second Alternate State
Princess. She received a $6OO
scholarship and is the 16-year-old
daughter of Adrian and Nancy
Lewis.
She is a home-schooled senior
and plans to study cosmetology at
the Continental School of Beauty
in the fall. Lewis’ interests for the
dairy industry developed from
working with her neighbors on
their 300-acre dairy farm.
Like the state princess, both al
ternate princesses will represent
ADADC at county dairy princess
pageants, will help train new
county promoters at seminars and
Ml
c'' r *!i*
SLc: A
workshops, and will assist the
state princess with various appear
ances throughout the state. Other
finalists included Britney
O’Connor, Chateaugay, N.Y.,
Tina Ratulowski, Bergen, N.Y.,
Lee Ann Schwope, Pine Bush,
N.Y. and Amy Swezey, Fort Ann,
N.Y.
Thirty county dairy princesses
competed in the state pageant, vy
ing for the title relinquished by
reigning princess Kelly West from
Seven finalists tor the 1997*98 New York State Dairy Princess Pageant from left are
First Row: Lois Lewis, New York State Second Alternate Dairy Princess from Cattar
augus County; Alison Littlefield, New York State Dairy Princess from Jefferson Coun
ty; Melissa Osgood, New York State First Alternate Dairy Princess from Wyoming
County. Second Row: Lee Ann Schwope, from Orange County; Britney O’Connor,
from Franklin County; Amy Swezey. from Washington County; and Tina Ratulowski.
from Genesee County.
JjOMESTEA
Varysburg, N.Y. The judges were
looking for the young women who
most effectively promote milk and
dairy products, based on a person
al interview, two adult speeches,
(impromptu and prepared), ele
mentary school presentation, and
informal interaction with others.
Judges evaluated the contestants
on their communication skills,
knowledge of milk and dairy
products, poise, and personality.
Overall judges were Melinda
Johnson, owner of Hem-View
Holsteins and fashion image con
sultant from Warren, Pa.; Randall
Sawyer, public information offi
cer with the New Yak State De
partment of Agriculture and Mar
kets in Albany, N.Y.; and Rebecca
Sonnen, program director for the
Middle Atlantic Milk Marketing
Association in Towson, Md.
In addition to Littlefield and
Osgood, Nicohl Merrill of Seneca
Falls, N.Y., in Seneca County, re
ceived SISO for her award-win
ning speech entitled “Only You,”
an adult speech about the import
ance of calcium from dairy prod
ucts. Honoable mention speech
presentations were given to Tina
Ratulowski, Bergen, N.Y., Katie
Cody, Cazenovia, N.Y., Jessica
Brock, Melrose, N.Y., Rose How
land, Candor, N.Y., and Amy
Swezey, Fort Ann, N.Y,
Judges evaluated each 10-min
ute presentation on content,
speaking ability, and appearance.
Speech judges woe Bruce Button,
general manager of Lee Publica
tions, Inc. in Palatine Bridge,
N.Y.; Jonelle Smith, 1995-96
New York State Dairy Princess
from Cincinnatus, N.Y.; and Ar
lene Wilbur, assistant program
director for the Pennsylvania
Dairy Princess and Promotion
Services, Inc. from Leßaysville,
Pa.
Each contestant created a dairy
promotion scrapbook for competi
tion. In addition to Littlefield,
Valcia holden of Springwater,
N.Y., in Livingston County, and
Jana Schenck of Greenwood,
N.Y., in Steuben County were
awarded $75 for their award-win
ning scrapbooks. In addition to
Osgood, honorable mention scrap
books were Jennifer Moliiar of
Tully, N.Y., in Onondaga County;
Turn to Page B 5)