State Fair Queen To Tout 114 Ag ‘Showplaces ’
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.)
West Lampeter Fair may be a
small fair, but it has big clout
with Jacqueline Pratt.
The 16-year-old touted her fair
last weekend before 850 persons
attending the 16th annual Penn
sylvania Fair Queen Pageant,
Hershey.
Her verbal tour of the West
Lampeter Fair detailing the exhi
bits and the importance of agri
culture capitulated her into the
finalist’s circle. After answering
an impromptu question about the
positive outcomes of the - Sept.
11th events, Jacqueline was
crowned the state fair queen —
which means that she now has
114 fairs to represent throughout
the state.
The fairs are considered
“Showplaces of Agriculture” in
Pennsylvania. The new queen
said that she is eager to promote
agriculture since it is Pennsylva
nia’s number one industry.
Jacqueline also was named
Miss Congeniality among the 47
contestants, who competed for
the state title after gaining eligi
bility by winning at the local
level.
The other finalists and the
fairs they represented included
Stephanie Blackstone, Bedford;
Sarah McLaughlin, Erie; Morgan
Bacher, Clearfield; and Kylie
Pajak, Washington, who was se
lected runnerup.
The state title also earns a
$1,500 scholarship for Jacqueline
and a basketful of Mary Kay cos
metics.
The runnerup receives a $3OO
• The queen coronation was conducted in i
* conjunction with the Pennsylvania State *i
# Association of County Fairs and the f
I Pennsylvania State Showmen’s \
Association annual convention, \
[• Hershey Lodge and Convention Center i
£ January 16-19. •
Photo at right shows Surprise! The new queen is
Jacqueline Pratt, center, from West Lampeter Fair. On her
left is Morgan Elizabeth Bacher, Clearfield County Fair,
and Sarah McLaughlin, right, representing Wattsburg Erie
County Fair. Photos by Dianne Therry.
At the 16th annual Pennsylvania Fair Queen Pageant, 47 contestants representing their local fairs vied for the state title.
scholarship. All five finalists re
ceived $5O and a cosmetics.
The daughter of Dr. Robert
and Yvonne Pratt, Willow Street,
Jacqueline attends Lampeter-
Strasburg High School. She is
captain of varsity and competi
tion cheerleading squads and
earned all-star and all-American
cheerleader status.
At school, Jacqueline is on the
varsity track and field teams, and
is a member of the National
Honor Society, student council,
school newspaper, the school
television station, chorus, and en
vironment club. The busy teen
ager also finds time to act as peer
mediator and as a leader of Fel
lowship of Christian students.
Jacqueline has received several
awards for her writing and has
represented her high school at
the Millersville University Sci
ence Bowl for two consecutive
years. She is an active member of
Lampeter United Methodist
Church, and volunteers at the
Lancaster Region Hospital birth
center.
For fun, Jacqueline enjoys rid
ing horses, reading, writing,
cooking, gardening, and being
with her family.
Judges for the event were
Louis Sallie, Camp Hill; Pat Mill
er, Harrisburg; and Cassie Ab
bott, Altoona.
Julie Sollenberger, the 2001
state fair queen representing
Kimberton Fair, shared her expe-
riences about visiting 17 fairs and
accompanying a group to Mexico
with the Department of Agricul
ture.
Agriculture is Pennsylvania’s
number one industry, a fact that
Jacqueline said she is eager to
promote.
• •
•- • m
The new court congratulates Jacqueline Pratt, seated. From left stands Sarah
McLaughlin, Erie County Fair; Kylie Rajah, Washington County Ag Fair and PA Fair
Queen runner up; Julie Sollenberger, 2001 PA Fair Queen (from Kimberton Community
Fair), Stephanie Blackstone, Bedford County Fair; Morgan Bacher, Clearfield County
Fair.