Fair Contestant -- Mikayla Cherry

Mikayla Cherry is an 18-year-old from Greencastle and a recent graduate of South Putnam High School. She is the daughter of Mike Cherry and Kandra Truex and the sister to Miriah, 15.

High school activities include cross country, basketball, track, Latin Club, FFA, FCA, student council, Livestock Judging, and cheerleading.

She was also a part of 4-H, PIE and Teen Court.

Cherry plans on attending Indiana State University in the fall and majoring in pre-dentistry.

She decided to enter the contest because she loves every part of the Putnam County Fair. Each year when she sees the Queen and her court riding around the fair she always stops to talk to them because she admires them all.

She would like the opportunity to represent Putnam County and become a positive role model for the younger 4-H'ers.

Cherry would describe herself as hardworking and a self-motivated individual. She doesn't let people influence what she knows is right and she always tries to find the positive things in every situation.

Her hobbies include playing sports, showing her 4-H animals, being outside and working in the barn.

The best advice she'd give a younger person would be to never give up, follow your dreams and just be yourself.

"It's okay to be different," she said.

The divorce of her parents is the event in her life that has had the greatest impact on making her the person she is today. It has made her a stronger, more well-rounded person. She had to become a mother-figure in the family. She cooks, cleans and helps out around the house.

The people she admires most are her grandparents. They are caring and would do anything for anyone no matter who they were. They go out of their way to help others.

She also admires her father. He is a hardworking man who likes to do things right the first time. He always says, "If you're not going to do it right the first time, why do it at all."

Together these individuals are all great role models of Cherry's and they are an amazing support group.