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Laurel Festival is ramping up this week, and along with it, the Laurel Festival Queen coronation ceremony on Saturday evening! Before the queen can be coronated, the candidates will spend time with the judges and the public as they represent their schools and towns from across the state. Today, Home Page correspondent Lauren Gooch met with three candidates from Tioga County to learn more about them and what the festival means to them.

The three candidates also present their own written bios, listed below.

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Abby Williams, Miss North Penn-Liberty: Abby’s high school activities include Key Club, Class President, Battle of the Books, National Honor Society, Band, Chorus, and School Musicals. She volunteers through her community’s recycling program, church dinners, blood drives, and has led a landscaping project at Liberty Elementary School. She was selected as a Kiwanis Student of the Month as well as a candidate for Youth Leader of Tomorrow. Abby plants to attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania to obtain a degree in Secondary Chemistry Education and minor in Mathematics.

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Lizzie Poirier, Miss Wellsboro: Lizzie’s high school activities include basketball, AAU travel basketball, soccer, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club, Connect 4 club, Student Council, Class Officer, and National Honor Society. She serves her community by being a Sunday School teacher at St. Peter’s Church, volunteering at nursing homes, Special Olympics, youth group, and blood drives. Lizzie was selected to receive the Babe Ruth Good Sportsmanship Award, the Bishop’s Youth Award, Shelly Taynton Memorial Award, Breakthrough Player of the Year for 2016, Young Chemist of the Month, Business and Professional Woman of the Month, and was tournament MVP. She also received several scholarships: Kyle B. Lenhardt, Joseph R. Every, Paul Janeski Art Award, and the Rose Naegley Nursing Award. Lizzie plans to attend St. John Fisher University to major in Nursing.

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Ryley Kotulka, Miss North Penn-Mansfield: Ryley’s high school activities include soccer, softball, National honor society, and Girl Scouts. She volunteers in her community through Special Olympics, blood drives, clean ups, and tutoring. She also serves as captain of the soccer and softball team. Ryley plans to attend technical school for Massage Therapy.

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We would like to congratulate all of the 2018 Laurel Queen representatives and encourage all our Home Page viewers to support them this week in the Laurel Festival.