6 seek Melon Fest crown

MILAN — This year's Milan Melon Festival calls for a competitive queen's pageant with six candidates vying for the crown. People can attend the contest, which takes place on Saturday from the festival's main stage within Village Square. If it's raining, the event relocates to nearby Milan Township Hall. The festival committee offered a brief bio on each contestant: Sophia Chaput Sophia is a senior at EHOVE Career Center where she focuses on exercise science and rehab therapy. She is the daughter of Nick and Amber Chaput. Sophia has five siblings: Madison, Haley, Emma, Ellie and Brayden. Academics are important to Sophia. She has achieved honor roll. In addition, Sophia participates in EHOVE Future Leaders, Teen Leadership Corps and SkillsUSA. She also participates in marching and concert band, drama club and bowling at Edison High School. She placed seventh at this past season's Sandusky Bay Conference bowling championship. In her free time, Sophia enjoys baking treats for her friends and family and longboarding or walking her dogs at the Norwalk Reservoir. After graduation, she plans to attend BGSU Firelands to study respiratory therapy. Sophia is sponsored by Baker on the Square. Izabelle Cowley Izabelle is a junior at EHOVE Career Center where she focuses on the cosmetology program. She is involved in theater at her school. Izabelle is active outside of school as well. She spends her free time reading, practicing archery, horseback riding or drawing. She is passionate about and enjoys expressing herself through fashion and beauty, whether it is with something small like a new nail color or something big like a new hair color. She strives to make others proud and to accomplish what many say cannot be done. Izabelle plans on graduating with a high school diploma, cosmetology license and a few college credits. After graduation, she plans to attend Kent State for a bachelor of fine arts degree to become a fashion designer. She then plans to move to France and create her own fashion brand. Izabelle is sponsored by Lowery Building Solution. Rose Gall Rose is a senior at Edison High School. She is the daughter of Michael and Erin Gall. Rose has two older sisters: Evelyn and Charlotte. Rose participates in many extracurriculars at Edison. She serves as the senior class secretary and is a member of the varsity bowling team. She is involved in Interact Club and Spanish Club and is a member of National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. She was awarded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute medal for being the top STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) student in her class. In her spare time, Rose enjoys spending time with friends, reading, attending Broadway musicals, going to Friday night Chargers football games and working with her family on their hobby farm where they raise goats, rabbits, quail and lambs. She has been involved in 4-H for 12 years and has served in multiple leadership roles in the Country Cousins 4-H Club. She currently shows market quail, breeding rabbits and market lambs at the Erie County Fair. She has been a camp counselor at the Erie County 4-H Camp on Kelleys Island for the last three years. After graduation, Rose plans to attend the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology as an engineering major. Rose is sponsored by the Milan Wine Post. Kennedy Robertson Kennedy is a freshman at Edison High School. She is the daughter of Thatcher and Megan Robertson. She has an older sister, Lizzy, and a younger brother, Keegan. Kennedy also has a dog named Cooper and a cat named Aubie. At Edison, she is a varsity basketball and football cheerleader. She is a member of the game day and traditional cheer competition teams. Additionally, Kennedy has been on the NorthStar Dance Center competition team for eight years. She is an accomplished dancer in several different categories of dance. In her free time, she enjoys shopping and spending time with her friends. Kennedy also loves to visit Walt Disney World. After graduation, she plans to attend college to further her education. Kennedy is sponsored by D'Vine Design. Addisyn Thompson Addisyn is a freshman at Edison High School. At home, she has two fur siblings, Belle, a German shepherd, and Rocco, her mini Aussiedoodle puppy, whom she especially loves dressing up. Addisyn is an active member of her school and community. She enjoys playing volleyball and softball. This year, she plans on joining Key Club and Model United Nations. She enjoys visiting and helping with events at the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky. Spending time with the veterans is especially meaningful to her because her dad served in the military and was deployed to Iraq and Syria when she was in third grade. Addisyn is especially excited to have the honor of running for melon queen as she and her mom have watched the queen's pageant together for many years. She believes in ¨being your own kind of beautiful" and is excited for the opportunity to represent the Milan Melon Festival, make new memories and take another step toward her future. After graduation, Addyson plans to pursue a career as a cosmetologist and esthetician. She hopes to go to business school and eventually combine her education and passion for beauty to one day own her own business. Addyson is sponsored by the Village Drive Thru. Avery Thurston Avery is a sophomore at Edison High School. She is the daughter of Heather Thurston. Avery is the sophomore class vice president. She also participates in golf, speech and debate and Interact Club. She plans to join track and field in the spring. In her spare time, Avery enjoys spending time with her family, including her sister, and being involved in her community. She has always looked up to the girls who represent the Milan Melon Festival and dreamed of being on the court one day herself. Now she is excited to have the opportunity to run for Milan Melon Festival queen and become part of a tradition that has meant so much to her community. Avery strives to challenge herself, meet new people and make the most of every opportunity that comes her way. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in law, particularly criminal justice. Avery is sponsored by Lakeshore Golf Studio.