14 women to seek Carnation Queen crown
Fourteen young women will compete July 30 in the Greater Alliance Carnation Festival's Carnation Queen Pageant at Alliance High School. Check below for the women who will be in the contest, listed by their contest number, and with their sponsors. Note: Competitor No. 13 has resigned from the pageant.
1. Catarina Hagan
Sponsor: Hagan Heating & Plumbing
Hometown: Marlboro Township
Age: 18
Education: 2022 Marlington High graduate; incoming freshman at Youngstown State.
Awards and achievements: Marlington French National Honor Society; captain, girls varsity tennis.
Parents: Josh and Sara Hagan
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “When I first moved to the USA, one of my first memories is my aunt winning Carnation Queen; at that moment, I knew I wanted to be a part of the pageant, as well! It brought her so many new experiences and opportunities that I would love to experience." Hagan's aunt, Christina Hagan, was Carnation Festival Queen in 2007.
2. Haley Hazelbaker
Sponsor: G’s Pizza World Damascus
Hometown: Salem
Age: 17
Education: 11th grade, West Branch High School
Awards and achievements: All American cheerleader for four years, performing at events with selected cheerleaders from other schools. Captain of West Branch cross country team; cheer captain; Pep Club; Environmental Club; Student Council; Yearbook; class officer; National Honor Society.
Parents: Kimberly and Daniel Hazelbaker
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “It would be such an honor to be a role model for the community! I look up to the previous individuals that have participated in the Carnation Queen Pageant and would love to be a role model for younger individuals as well as general people.”
3. Gretchen Stout
Sponsor: Coastal Pet Products Inc.
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 18
Education: University of Mount Union
Awards and achievements: State cheer champion in 2020, state runners-up in 2021, won EBC in cheer for 2021. Got scholarship from Marlington High School Little Dukes program. Coached cheer for first and second grades, who took first place in competition. Promoted to shift manager at Panera in less than a year there.
Parents: Dawn and Jeff Stout
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: "I want to be Carnation Queen because I want to help show everyone that you can truly do anything if you put your mind to it, and I want to make everyone feel involved because feeling left out hurts a lot more than people think."
4. Mayze Leask
Sponsor: BES Electrical Co.
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 18
Education: 2022 graduate, West Branch High School; incoming freshman at Kent State Salem.
Awards and achievements: EBC Scholar Athlete Award; 2021-22 Warrior Princess.
Parents: Jennie Craig
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “I want to be Carnation Queen because I have always looked up to queens in the past. I want to inspire young kids that they can follow their dreams and get everyone in the community involved.”
5. Hailey Hane
Sponsor: Great Lakes Best One Tire and Service
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 17
Education: 12th grade, Alliance High School
Awards and achievements: Attending the sports medicine program.
Parents: Mechell Estes
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “So I can learn more about the city I grew up in and hopefully represent the city I grew up in.”
6. Ashley James
Sponsor: Dean’s Funeral Home
Hometown: Beloit
Age: 19
Education: Sophomore, Youngstown State
Awards and achievements: Letter winner, soccer and cross country; National Honor Society; YSU Student Service Award; YSU Bitonte College of Health and Human Services Student Government representative; Green Honor Roll; Mahoning County 4-H Outstanding Youth.
Parents: John and Diana James
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “I want to be Carnation Queen because I’ve always looked up to past queens as role models and I would love to l be able to lead by example and be a role model to the new generation of young ladies.”
7. Alexandra Hill
Sponsor: Alliance Lions Club
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 21
Education: University of Mount Union
Awards and achievements: Merit roll all four years of high school.
Parents: Gail Hill and the late James Hill
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “I want to be Carnation Queen because I want to be a role model to young girls who think you have to be a certain size to be beautiful.”
8. Chloe Orzo
Sponsor: Alliance Texas Roadhouse
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 18
Education: Sophomore, University of Mount Union
Awards and achievements: Alliance Elks Teen of the Year in 2021; Alliance Elks Teen of the Month; National Honor Society; honor roll all four years of high school; candidate for outstanding senior woman 2021; dean’s list; Mount Union Trustee Scholarship recipient.
Parents: Bridget Briggs and Brian Orzo
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “I would like to be the Carnation Queen because I feel like I could be a positive influence to the city while also spending my time learning more about the city I’ve spent my life in."
9. Gracie Trummer
Sponsor: Lisa Trummer/Tanner Real Estate
Hometown: Washington Township
Age: 20
Education: Junior, Walsh University
Awards and achievements: Dean’s list first two years of college; won a trip to Hawaii last year for selling more than $12,000 of Avon products.
Parents: Lisa and Mitch Trummer
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “I want to be the 2022 Greater Alliance Carnation Festival queen because I want to serve the city I call home and I want to be a role model to young girls just like past queens were to me.”
10. Kenna McElroy
Sponsor: MAC Trailer
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 18
Education: Incoming freshman, Kent State University
Awards and achievements: All-Ohio in track; first-team EBC for soccer; team captain for basketball and track; president of French National Honor Society; Stark State dean’s list; hold four school records in track.
Parents: Bryan and Sylvia McElroy
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “I really want to be a role model to the younger kids of Alliance. I always looked up to the Carnation Queen and how she acted. I would love to be that for others.”
11. Abbey Wilson
Sponsor: Expressions Salon
Hometown: Salem
Age: 17
Education: Senior, West Branch High School
Awards and achievements: Letter winner in cheer; competition cheer; track and field; National Honor Society; voted Warrior Princess for 2022-23 season.
Parents: Nichole and Darrell Wilson
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “To show little girls they can do anything that makes them happy and be successful in doing so.”
12. Meadow Dailey
Sponsor: Dailey Brothers Gutters
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 17
Education: 11th grade, Alliance High School.
Parents: Jack Dailey
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: "I want to be the Carnation Queen because I want to learn about the city."
14. Olivia Bertolini
Sponsor: Alliance Dairy Queen
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 17
Education: 12th grade, Alliance High School
Parents: Bill and Brenda Bertolini
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: “To represent my city and inspire others to be proud and confident in who they are and where they are from.”
15. Kayla Martin
Sponsor: R.L. Xperience (Robert Fountain)
Hometown: Alliance
Age: 19
Education: Freshman, Mount Union
Awards and achievements: Homecoming queen; soccer captain; Mount Union cheerleading; Black Student Union; marketing chair.
Parents: Almetra Hawkins
Why I want to be Carnation Queen: "Being the queen would be an honor because I’m involved with the community and would like to be an example for young girls."
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: 14 Alliance-area women to seek Carnation Queen crown
