WELLINGTON — Four girls and four boys are vying for a $1,000 college scholarship and the title of Lorain County Junior Fair Queen and King. The winners will be announced at noon Monday at the pavilion behind the grandstands at the county fairgrounds.

Four girls — Victoria Colella, Amanda Price, Madalyn McMinn and Rebecca Burgdorf — are the contestants for queen.
Price, 18, of Wellington, said agriculture is in her blood.

“I could be in Girl Scouts or 4-H. I really loved animals and being outdoors,” so her choice was simple, she said.

Raising sheep since she was young, Price has experience breeding and selling the animals at auction. She plans to attend The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster to study livestock science and specializing in Angus beef and sheep.

“Not as many kids are coming back to family farms (after college) to settle down these days,” Price said. “We’re losing a new generation of farmers. And the field doesn’t have many women. That makes the work even more important.”

Colella, 18, of New London, also has a love of farming and animals.

“You realize that these animals are for consumption,” she said. “You’re not raising them as pets. Yet you bond with them because you show them and work with them.”

Colella plans to major in agriculture and extension education in the fall at The Ohio State University. She raised turkeys in Lorain before moving to the country and hopes to create a 4-H program for city kids to get them involved in the fair.

Four boys — Tyler Johnson, Garrett Schwedt, Ben Brasee and Matthew Bremke — are hoping to walk away with the $1,000 scholarship. The amount was raised from $500 for king and queen last year to $1,000 each this year.

Another queen candidate, Madalyn McMinn, has been a member of 4-H for 13 years, and a Junior Fair board member for four years, serving as treasurer, vice president and now as a member of the executive committee. She’s the department chair for special events, meaning she helped organize events including the opening ceremonies, the watermelon-eating contest, Junior Fair night and Sweepstakes Showmanship.

Madalyn, who’ll be heading to Ohio Northern University in the fall to study pharmacy, said being on the Royal Court showcases those Junior Fair members who are great role models and who best represent the Lorain County Fair.

“I feel that, through my involvement, I fit these descriptions well,” she said via e-mail.

For Madalyn, 4-H has been a family affair. Her mother was involved growing up, and she said she’d like to remain involved even as she tackles college and beyond.

Johnson, 18, of Wellington, would use his scholarship to fund his studies in mechanical engineering at the University of Akron.

A 10-year veteran of 4-H, Tyler said he’s more interested in bows, swords and medieval weapons than animals, but he’s undertaken some 16 county fair projects over the years.

Schwedt, 19, of Elyria, hopes to be a farmer in his own right one day.

A four-year member of the Junior Fair Board, Schwedt is also a 14-year member of 4-H. He began showing pygmy goats at age 11 and presently shows market hogs. He regularly takes part in community service projects and charitable fundraising events.

“Service to others is very important because not everybody has an easy life,” he said.

Schwedt, a member of the National Honor Society, plans to attend The Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute where he’ll study livestock science and specialize in swine. He said he hopes to have his own hog farm someday.

Queen candidates

• Victoria Colella, 18, of New London, is a five-year member of 4-H and a graduate of Admiral King High School and Lorain County Community College. She is the daughter of Barbara and Jeff Gott of Brighton Township.
• Madalyn McMinn, 18, of Wellington, is a 13-year member of 4-H and a graduate of Wellington High School. She plans to attend Ohio Northern University. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Thomas McMinn.
• Rebecca Burgdorf, 19, is a six-year member of 4-H and a graduate of Amherst Steele. She plans to attend Lorain County Community College. She is the daughter of Justine and William Burgdorf.
• Amanda Price, 18, is a 10-year member of 4-H and a graduate of Wellington High School. She plans to attend The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster. She is the daughter of Brenda and Bruce Price.

King candidates

• Garrett Schwedt, 19, of Elyria, is a 14-year member of 4-H and a graduate of Elyria High School. He plans to attend The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute. He is the son of Laura Schwedt and Robert Scwedt.
• Tyler Johnson, 18, of Wellington, is a 10-year member of 4-H and a graduate of Keystone High School. He plans to attend the University of Akron. He is the son of Jackie and Duane Johnson.
• Ben Brasee, 17, of Wakeman, is a 10-year member of 4-H and a graduate of Keystone National. He plans to attend Lorain County Community College. He is the son of Tina and Dan Brasee.
• Matthew Bremke, 17, of Elyria, is a 12-year member of 4-H and a senior at Oberlin High School. He plans to attend Lorain County Community College after high school. He is the son of Karen and Darren Bremke of Elyria and Donna Forbush of Oberlin.

Contact Alicia Castelli at 329-7144 or acastelli@chroniclet.com.