2024 Highland County Jr. Fair Royalty Contestants announced

The 2024 Highland County Jr. Fair King and Queen contestants have been announced.

The Fair Queen candidates are Kathryn Cluff and Alexis West. Running for Fair King is Sam Hamilton.

• Kathryn Cluff is an 11-year member of 4-H. She also serves on Jr. Leaders, FCS Board and Jr. Fair Board. A 2023 graduate of Hillsboro High School, Cluff is attending her second year of college at Southern State Community College, studying Human and Social Services. Kristi and Jerry Cluff are her parents.

• Alexis West is 18 years old and a recent graduate of McClain High School. She is a 13-year member of Highland County 4-H, where she is active in the Marshall Jr. Farmers 4-H club, serving as president; a member of Highland County Jr. Leadership, serving as secretary; a member of FCS Board, serving as president; and an active member of the Highland County Jr. Fair Board. This fall, West is attending The Ohio State University to study Agriscience Education.

• Sam Hamilton is a member of the Highland County Jr. Leadership Club, Highland County Poultry, Pigs, and Lambs 4-H Club and the Highland County Shooting Sports 4-H Club. He has been in 4-H for 11 years, and this is his last year. Hamilton’s 4-H projects have included market and exhibition poultry, market dairy and Boer goats, shooting sports, nutrition projects and several self-determined 4-H projects. He is currently a sophomore at Wilmington College, where he is working on a degree in Business and Animal Science. At Wilmington College, Hamilton is a member of the Equestrian Team and the Clay Shooting Sports Team. He enjoys hunting, shooting and fishing and working on vehicles. Hamilton hopes to own his own agricultural business someday and live on a family farm.

In order to compete for the Highland County Jr. Fair King and Queen Contest, contestants must complete all four different parts:

Part 1: Application due Monday, Aug. 19. The contestants will be judged on their ability to answer the questions of the application. It will be judged on content, grammar and spelling. 

Part 2: Personal Interview which will be judged on their ability to answer questions, their poise/posture and conversational ability by a panel of judges.

Part 3: Speech about Fair Theme on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 4 p.m. at the Multi-Purpose Building. The contestants will be judged on their ability to prepare and present a 2-5-minute oral speech on the Highland County Fair Theme of 2024. No other topics will be accepted. No props of any kind may be used. It will be judged on the contestant’s speaking ability, content and poise/presence.

Part 4: Two Fishbowl Questions on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. at the Multi-Purpose Building. The contestants will be judged on their ability to answer two random questions in front of the audience and panel of judges. The contestants will be judged on their ability to answer the question, speaking ability and poise/presence. An accumulation of all four parts will determine who will represent the Highland County Jr. Fair as royalty.

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