Berks County's Ashley Mohn Named 2014-15 Pennsylvania Dairy Princess

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ashley Mohn of Womelsdorf, Berks County, was crowned the 58^th Pennsylvania Dairy Princess on Saturday, Sept. 20, after a three-day competition with 26 county dairy princesses.

Ashley, the 20-year-old daughter of Steven and Karen Mohn, was crowned by outgoing state princess Lu-Anne Antisdel of Rome, Bradford County.

Contestants were judged on speaking skills, dairy industry knowledge, and poise and personality. Each contestant prepared a speech and presentation and optionally participated in a radio spot and poster display promoting milk and dairy products; submitted a scrapbook of promotion activities; took a dairy industry knowledge quiz; and participated in an interview with a panel of four judges.

Ashley won the poster, presentation and scrapbook competitions, was runner-up in the radio spot contest, and received honorable mention in the speech competition.

A Delaware Valley College junior majoring in dairy science with minors in agriculture business and communications, Ashley is an orientation leader and member of Sigma Alpha agricultural sorority. She remains involved with 4-H and FFA at school and in Berks County, as well as Marion Grange, and the state Holstein and Red & White associations.

Two alternates were selected. First alternate is Carly Foose of Quarryville, Lancaster County, the 19-year-old daughter of Wayne and Lori Foose. An employee of Hope Valley Farms, Carly works with the Solanco Fair Board, is a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Waterloo Boys John Deere 2-Cylinder Club and serves as secretary of the Solanco FFA Alumni Chapter. A 12-year Girl Scout, she is training to be a scout leader. Carly enjoys learning about the industry and helping her sisters learn to raise livestock.

Carly won the dairy knowledge contest, was runner-up in the presentation contest, and received honorable mentions for her poster, radio spot and scrapbook. She was crowned by outgoing first alternate Danielle Varner of Shirleysburg, Huntingdon County.

Second alternate is Rachael Grosvenor, 20, of Kingsley, Susquehanna County. The daughter of Paul and Susan Grosvenor and sister of nine siblings, Rachael is a sophomore at Misericordia University studying nursing. She works at Willagrove Farms, is active in church, and coaches the Elk Lake Guppy swim team. The former Harford Fair Queen enjoys swimming, reading, cooking, baking, scrapbooking, rock climbing and whitewater rafting.

Rachael won the speech competition and received honorable mentions for her presentation, scrapbook and performance in the dairy knowledge competition. She was crowned by outgoing second alternate Brooke George of Jackson Center, Mercer County.

In addition to Ashley, Carly and Rachael, four other finalists were chosen:

• Hannah Verbanac, Erie County Dairy Princess, from Cambridge Springs, the daughter of Daniel and Megan Verbanac, honorable mention in the speech competition;
• Casandra Blickley, Chester County Dairy Princess, from Morgantown, the daughter of Shawn and Roslyn Blickley, winner of the radio spot competition and honorable mention in the dairy knowledge competition;
• Emily Davis, Huntingdon County Dairy Princess, from Huntingdon, the daughter of William and Karen Davis;
• Blake Yoder, Mifflin County Dairy Princess, from Belleville, the daughter of Jim and the late Beth Yoder, honorable mention in the radio spot competition and "Miss Congeniality," voted by the other county princesses.

Schuylkill County Dairy Princess Hannah Miller of Tamaqua was runner up in the scrapbook competition.

Other category finalists were:

• Blair County's Jessica Orczeck, Roaring Spring, runner up in the speech competition and honorable mention in the poster contest;
• Bradford County's Brooke Ostrander, Troy, runner up in the dairy knowledge contest and honorable mention in the speech contest;
• Bucks County's Sandra Krone, Fountainville, honorable mention in the dairy knowledge contest;
• Centre County's Kelly Beck, Port Matilda, runner up in the poster contest;
• Lebanon County's McKenzy Kenner, Lebanon, honorable mention in the presentation competition;
• Lycoming County's Olivia Paulhamus, Jersey Shore, honorable mention in the radio spot competition;
• Sullivan County's Erika Spako, New Albany, honorable mention in the presentation competition; and
• Wyoming-Lackawanna's Emma Loch, Nicholson, honorable mention in the poster contest.

2013-14 Schuylkill County Dairy Princess Madeline Daubert of Pine Grove and 2013-14 Centre County Princess Halee Wasson of State College were honored with the Tina M. Shultz Memorial Award. The award recognizes those who have done the most effective job of serving their area as dairy princess, considering the number and types of appearances made as an individual and the local circumstances under which she has served. Winners must be dedicated, enthusiastic promoters of the industry, willing to go beyond the call of duty to carry out their assignments.

Lu-Anne received the William C. Nichol Appreciation Award and $1,000 scholarship, which is awarded to the state dairy princess in recognition of her dairy promotion efforts throughout the year.

The four overall contest judges were Mary Amoss, Fallston, Md.; Sarah Hill, Rice Lake, Wis.; Jon Stanley, Waynesboro, Va.; and Chuck Wordon, Cassville, N.Y.

Scrapbook and radio spot judges were Mya Rushton, University Park, Centre County, and Allison Hopkins of Lewes, Del. Presentation and poster display judges were Christine Greig of Linesville, Crawford County, and Amie Howes of Elizabethtown, Lancaster County.

Kirk Sattazahn of Womelsdorf, Berks County, served as master of ceremonies.

For the next year, the new state royalty team will represent Pennsylvania's dairy industry and its 7,400 dairy farm families. The dairy industry is the state's top agriculture industry, contributing nearly $6 billion to the economy and supporting more than 60,000 jobs across the state.

Media contact: Will Nichols, 717-787-5085

For photos, click here.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture