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2014 Putnam County Fair queen contestants (Part 1)
The 2014 Putnam County Fair Queen contest is quickly approaching.
The contest will take place on Saturday, July 12 at the Fairgrounds Community Building at 7 p.m.
Contestants will be judged on the basis of beauty, poise and personality, which will be determined in both preliminary personal judging and the public contest.
The winner will represent Putnam County in Miss Indiana State Fair Pageant.
This is the first of two features introducing this year's contestants.
Aubrey Lee Nichols, 18, is the daughter of Greg and Angie Nichols of Reelsville. She has three siblings, Holly, 30, Amber, 26, and Ally, 14.
The 2014 South Putnam graduate is currently working at Arby's and will attend Indiana State University in the fall, where she will study nursing.
Her sponsor is Rick Woodall of S&W Feed Mill.
Aubrey is a nine-year 4-H member, participating in creative writing, drawing, photography, rabbit club and swine.
At South Putnam, she was a three-sport athlete, participating in volleyball, basketball, track and tennis. Aubrey received the leadership award in basketball, as well as the Holiday Classic All Tournament Player award.
Aubrey was a six-year student council member as well as a three-year class officer. Activities included Spanish Club, PIE Coalition, FCA, FCCLA, advanced choir and "Wings." She was also a participant at Hoosier Girls State in 2013.
Her hobbies include athletics, hunting and photography. She enjoys going to church, concerts, playing with her puppy Raisin, reading, shopping and hanging out with her friends and her sister Ally.
Aubrey's talents include being a leader in any given situation and having the ability to present herself as a positive role model. She is a singer and an accomplished athlete.
Her special interests include anatomy and physiology of the human body and biology. She loves caring for animals and people.
Aubrey's future plans are to attend ISU for nursing.
"My goal is to be an RN, work in the OB department and assist with delivery and care of newborns," Aubrey said. "I plan to reside in Putnam County, have a job that I enjoy, get married and have a family of my own."
Emily Dawn Gilley, 19, is the daughter of David and My Gilley of Fillmore. She is the younger sister of Erin Gilley, 24.
The 2013 South Putnam graduate is now attending Purdue University, studying agriculture education.
Her sponsors are the Goff family, the Wesley family, the Boswell family, the Gilley family, the Arnold family and the Underwood family.
Emily is a 10-year 4-H member, having participated in horse and pony, swine, photography, floriculture and child development all 10 years. She also participated in metal craft (6 years), wood craft (5), veterinary science (5), home environment (4), personality (4), jewelry (4) and consumer clothing (3).
Her activities include the American Paint Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, National Association of Agricultural Educators, Indiana Association of Agricultural Educators, 4-H, FFA, livestock judging, horse judging and assistant coach of the Southmont High School livestock judging team, Special Olympics and Hope Haven Therapeutic Horse Farm.
Emily's accomplishments have included Area V overall 4-H individual winner, multiple grand champion 4-H project awards, multiple 4-H sportsmanship awards, 2012 Supreme Showmanship winner, overall year end high point APHA individual, member of the sixth-place 4-H horse judging team at APHA World Show 2012, fourth-place 4-H horse juding team at APHA World Show 2013.
Her hobbies include showing horses, showing pigs, judging livestock, judging horses, riding horses, baking, cooking, scrapbooking, mentoring younger children and spending time with family and friends.
Emily's future plans revolve around her education at Purdue.
"My future plans include graduating Purdue University with a bachelor's degree in agricultural education and then move into a teaching position, preferably in one of our four outstanding schools in Putnam County," Emily said. "My goal would then be to utilize knowledge I gained from my time at Purdue University to give back to the youth of FFA and 4-H, the two programs that have given so much to me."
Tatum Lou Straziscar, 19, is the daughter of Sean and Kristy Straziscar of Roachdale. Her siblings are Tari, 20, and Trae, 16.
The 2013 North Putnam High School graduate now attends Purdue University, studying speech pathology and Spanish. She is employed with the Gobin UMC Summer Enrichment Program.
She is sponsored by Baker's Camp.
A 10-year 4-H member, Tatum was a part of the Working Farmers 4-H Club. Her main project was sheep, which she showed for nine years. She also participated in cake decorating (10 years), foods (9), horticulture (2) and creative writing (3).
Tatum graduated top 10 in her class at North Putnam and was involved in many clubs and organizations during high school At Purdue, she is a member of the collegiate FFA chapter, participated in National Student Speech Language Hearing Association and was a member of the Purdue Navigators. She also attends Clearriver Christian Church.
Her hobbies include working with sheep, baking and caking decorating. She also participated in the dance team in high school and is now a member of a dance company at Purdue. She also plans to join the club cheerleading squad next semester.
Tatum plans to put her speech and language skills to use upon graduation.
"I plan to graduate from Purdue University with a dual degree in SLHS and Spanish and then attend graduate school to get my master's in speech pathology," Tatum said. "After I am done with school, I want to either work at a local school as a speech therapist or open a private practice in the Putnam County community."
Alexis Noel Williams, 19, is the daughter of Gary and Stacy Williams of Greencastle. She has one brother, 15-year-old Elijah.
The 2013 Greencastle High School graduate is now entering her sophomore year at IUPUI, studying tourism, convention and event management. She is currently employed as a college ambassador at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
She is sponsored by Shuee and Sons Great Buys Plus.
A 10-year member of the Classy Clovers 4-H Club, she participated in consumer clothing, photography, poultry, cat and dog projects.
At IUPUI, Alexis is involved in the Student Activities Programming Board and 20/20 Bible study. At GHS, she participated in varsity cheerleading, FCA, choir, Latin Club, Pep Club and G Club.
Her high school achievements included cheer captain 2012-13; MVP in 2010, 2012 and 2013; The Heart of the Cheerleader award in 2011; and the Terry Cheerleader Award in 2013.
Alexis is a member of Greencastle Christian Church where she was involved in the ONE80 youth group.
Her hobbies include spending time with family and friends, traveling in the United States and internationally, exercising, reading, photography, watching movies, attending live theater, listening to music, attending concerts, playing with and taking care of her pets and learning how to play the ukulele.
Alexis hopes that her tourism, convention and event management studies will dovetail nicely with her interest in travel.
"I plan to continue studying at IUPUI and to graduate in my major in 2017," she said. "After college I want to find a job in my major that I am passionate about and continue to pursue my love of travel."