This year marked the 40th Anniversary of the Strawberry Festival Queen’s Pageant at Troy High School on Friday, April 8. Troy senior, Jasmeen Gill, was crowned the 2016 Strawberry Queen and has the distinction of being the first Strawberry Queen of Indian descent. She was followed by First Attendant, Shannon Cothran of Troy High School and Second Attendant, Kaitlyn Park from Bethel. With each position, the ladies of the court are awarded sponsored scholarships ranging from $600 to $1200 in addition to the opportunity of welcoming visiting guests and residents as ambassadors for the upcoming Strawberry Festival.
Fourteen of the brightest and most beautiful young women of Miami County prepared earnestly and brought their best talent and loveliest gowns for a chance at the title and the crown. It was an evening of anticipation for the candidates and their supporters. The presiding Mistress of Ceremonies this year was Dee Mahan and the 3 hour event opened with a welcome by Pageant Chairperson Courtney Wertz, presentation of the candidates, introductory remarks by Mayor Michael Beamish, and a visit from Little Miss and Little Mr. Strawberry. Those competing for the crown were presented, interviewed, and performed a talent. Their various talents included everything from poetry to music. The new Strawberry Queen performed Bharatanatyam, also called an Indian fire dance, with a modern American twist. “I am very proud of my heritage and I am also honored to live in Troy,” Gill said. “This was such an amazing opportunity to perform traditional dance from India for everyone here in Troy.” Gill and her family have lived in the area since she began high school. She said that her parents and relatives were surprised that she decided to compete in the Strawberry Festival’s Pageant but that they were all very supportive. “I think they are even more surprised that I won,” Gill said.
Last year’s reigning queen, Miss Bobbi-Jo Meyers, was present to perform and speak to the pageant audience one last time. In addition, she was involved in helping the ladies prepare prior to their time on stage. Second Attendant Kaitlyn Park said that her experience the week prior to the competition was an encouragement to her. “I met some of my new best friends in the past week,” Park said. “We were able to build each other up and help each other get ready for this tonight.”
According to First Attendant Shannon Cothran it did not really feel like a competition. “Everyone who participated this year would have been worthy of winning,” Cothran said. “There was no drama behind the scenes and each girl here is so beautiful and gifted.” Bobbi-Jo Meyers was reported to have had all the candidates in a circle the night prior to the pageant encouraging all of them and talking about the ways they had grown in the process of preparing for the event. They were assessed by 3 judges, Kathy Booher, Ginny Dalton, and Orion Bressler, in addition to the audience being given an opportunity to vote for their favorite candidate by text. The People’s Choice Award for the evening went to recent Rotary Speech Competition winner, Rachel Martin of Troy High School. She was given a spa package at Giacomo’s Salon and Spa.
The other candidates in this year’s pageant included Gabrielle Centiliver, Kailyn Hatfield, Victoria Noon, Cynthia Stanley, and Sierra Simon of Troy High School, Blake Garrett, Maria Blocher, and Lauren Koontz of Miami East High School, and Tabitha Sexton and Katie Mullins of Tipp City High School. Overseeing the event was the 2016 Queen’s Pageant Committee: Dee Mahan, Linda and Dave Dunfee, LyDonna Chaney, Tori Chaney, Cody Wertz, and Roberta Jacobs.
