The Swiss Wine Festival crowned its 2015 Edelweiss Princess on Sunday night at the Switzerland County High School cafeteria; and SCHS senior McKenna Edwards earned the title from a crowded and talented field of contestants.
She and her court will now reign over the four-day festival, which gets underway on Thursday, August 27th and runs through Sunday, August 30th in the Paul Ogle Riverfront Park.
McKenna is the daughter of Michael and Marla Edwards of near Quercus Grove, and was sponsored in the pageant by RS Home Sales.
She is the reigning Edelweiss Teen Princess – crown she will relinquish on Thursday night, August 27th when she crowns her successor; was the FFA Queen of Hearts; and the Glencoe Frontier Days Princess. She is a varsity cheerleader; a member of the softball team; and was a delegate to Hoosier Girls State. She is co-President of the FCA; and is a member of Olive Branch Baptist Church, where she is active in the 412 Youth Group Ministry.
Her career goal is to attend IUPUI and major in accounting and eventually earn her MBA.
The first runner up in the Edelweiss Princess pageant was Macy Barwick. She is the daughter of Bryan and Carrie Barwick of near Vevay; and she will be a freshman this fall at Hanover College. She was sponsored in the pageant by Golden Shear Barber Shop.
She was the co-Valedictorian of her graduating class; was a delegate to Hoosier Girls State; and was the 2015 Switzerland County High School Prom Queen. She was a member of the marching band; was a member of the Homecoming Court, and represented her class at the Aurora Farmer’s Fair.
Her goals are to attend Hanover College this fall with a double major in English and Spanish and a minor in business; and then pursue a career in international business.
Honored as second runner up, and also selected by her fellow contestants as Miss Congeniality, was Erika Coy. She was sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary; and she will be a sophomore this fall at Indiana University in Bloomington. She is the daughter of Greg and Barb Coy of near Vevay.
She is a member of Olive Branch Baptist Church; the American Legion Auxiliary; and the American Red Cross Club at IU. She is active in IU’s Business Professionals of America; is on the Collins Living Learning Center Philanthropy board; and is a member of the Sigma Alpha Lambda honors organization.
Her goal is to obtain a doctorate in neuroscience and then work for a research team at a hospital to find cures for neurological diseases and disorders.
The third runner up in Sunday’s pageant was Jacqueline Hensley. She will be a freshman this fall at Hanover College, and she is the daughter of Robert and Monica Hensley of Vevay. She was sponsored in the pageant by Detraz Services.
She was the first runner up in the 2014 Edelweiss Princess pageant; was the third runner up in the 2015 Queen of Hearts pageant; and was the fourth runner up in the 2013 Edelweiss Teen Princess pageant. She was the salutatorian of the Class of 2015; participated in swimming and volleyball; and was a member of the National Honor Society and BPA.
Her career goal is to earn a degree in political science; and then attend law school and become an attorney.
Baylie Scudder was honored as the fourth runner up in Sunday’s pageant. She is the daughter of Jennifer and Allen Scudder of near Fairview; and was sponsored in this year’s pageant by Schuler Farms. She is a senior at Switzerland County High School.
She is a member of the volleyball team, where she earned All Sectional honors last year; and is also a member of the softball team. She has also earned certification in Microsoft Office.
Her career goal is to study radiology and have a career as a radiologist.
Also competing in Sunday’s pageant was Korah Taylor.