The Home Page Network

This broadcast is part two of our introductions of our area’s queen candidates for the Laurel Festival Queen Coronation this coming weekend. It is an enjoyable and exciting time for all the women representing their communities and schools.

In Part Two, we will hear from Hayley Ridge, Miss North Penn Liberty, Kara Watterson, Miss Cownesque Valley, Tyra Williams, Miss Troy and Mya Allen, Miss Canton.

In the first half of this broadcast, Home Page Vice President Sara Vogt spoke with Hayley and Kara at the Green in Wellsboro to discover their plans for future endeavors. And what they thought we they found out that they would be representing their communities.

Hayley Ridge was involved in the following school activities: Key Club, Prom Committee, Band and Chorus, Select Choir, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Indoor Color Guard Captain, Softball, Debate Club, Liberty’s Selected Youth Leader of Tomorrow, National Honor Society, and School Musicals.
She was also involved in the following community activities: President of the Liberty Alumni Association, playing piano for churches when needed, and being a Bible School Counselor for Mountain View Fellowship. Her future plans are to attend Mansfield University with an Associates degree in Business Administration while continuing her current job at Martin’s Pantry and starting work at First Citizens Community Bank in the fall.

All four years of high school, Kara Watterson was on high honor roll; a member of student council (middle school liaison in 9th grade, secretary in 10th grade, vice president in 11th grade, and president in 12th grade); played tennis; and was a member of the school band (secretary in 11th grade and president in 12th grade) and the drama/theater club.
Through student council, she volunteered at the Second Chance animal shelter, Tioga County Special Olympics, helped prepare free Thanksgiving dinners at a local church, and assisted at pee-wee football games.
Miss Watterson was valedictorian of her class. In 11th and 12th grade, she was a member of the National Honor Society, track and field team, yearbook club and district band and in 9th and 10th grades was a member of the Susquehanna University Honors Band and in 12th grade advanced to PMEA regional and all-state concert band. During the holiday break in her sophomore year, she went on a missions trip to Nepal, traveling to schools and churches in remote villages, distributing hygiene products, delivering Christmas gifts, and organizing sports camps with students.
She enjoys hiking, playing guitar, and helping out on the family farm and serves as a worship leader at her church. Miss Watterson worked at the Penn-York Camp in Ulysses as a counselor-in-training and lifeguard in the summer of 2021. Miss Watterson plans to attend Mt. Aloysius College in Cresson, Pa. Her goal is to become a registered nurse.

In the second half of the broadcast Veronica Seymore, our senior anchor/correspondent of Troy Home Page, speaks with Miss Troy, Tyra Williams, and Tanya Route, our senior anchor correspondent of Canton Home Page, interviewed Miss Canton, Mya Allen.

Miss Tyra Marie Williams represents Troy Junior/Senior High School and her community. She is the daughter of Jessica Shipman of Springfield Township and Jeremy Williams.
Through the New Life Church and her church youth group in Canton, Miss Williams, as a 9th, 10th, and 11th grader, has helped with community dinners. She also traveled to Harrisburg once a month to provide supplies donated by her church and the community to homeless families.
This fall, Miss Williams will be a senior. All three years of high school, she has been on the high honor roll, played volleyball, varsity softball, and travel softball year-round.
After graduating in 2023, Miss Williams plans to earn a degree in psychology and enter social work.

Senior year is so full of new things, recent Canton graduate Mya Allen is honored by her teachers and classmates to be representing Canton at the upcoming Laurel Festival this weekend. Mya is the daughter of Ryan and Teresa Allen. Mya earned 4th highest academic honor for the class of 2022. She was awarded the Motts Memorial Scholarship and was the National Honor Society Secretary for two years. Scholarship Challenge participant was another experience Mya participated in during her senior year. Being part of the Big Buddy program was a way for Mya to mentor younger children. Mya plans to continue her education at Mansfield University and work towards a degree in Social work. She hopes to incorporate her love of horses with her degree and ride and love her own horses as her hobby. Good Luck Mya in the upcoming Festivities.

We hope you have the opportunity to come to all of the festivities for the Laurel Festival this coming weekend, especially supporting these inspiring young women representing their communities.

Please visit Wellsboro Chamber’s website for more information about the Laurel Festival.