03-08-2018 Royal repeat? Local royalty seeking Blossomtime crowns this weekend

Royal repeat? Local royalty seeking Blossomtime crowns this weekend

By Annette Christie Mr. Blossomtime Hunter Ackerman of Hartford and Miss Blossomtime Kaylee Chapin of Watervliet will be relinquishing their Blossomtime crowns at the 2018 Mr. and Miss Blossomtime pageants this coming weekend with hopes that they will be crowning another Tri-City Royalty.

Watervliet Miss Watervliet, Ellie Troyer, is a senior attending Watervliet High School. The 17-year-old is the daughter of Kendall and Julia Troyer. In school she is involved in pep band, marching band, and Science Olympiad. Troyer has received the Daughters of the American Revolution Award, was a Girls State attendee, and has achieved academic excellence all four years of high school. She is in the National Honor Society and is a co-president of her class. Troyer is a 4-year drum major in the Watervliet Marching Band. Following high school, she plans to attend Bethel College to receive a degree in chemistry followed by Ferris State University to obtain a Doctorate in Pharmacy. She hopes to become a pharmacist in her future. Her hobbies include baking, sewing, knitting, traveling, and backpacking. She hopes to one day visit all 58 national parks.

Coloma Miss Coloma, Micah Saxe, 17, is a senior attending Watervliet High School. She is the daughter of David Saxe and Shelly Morlock. Saxe has been on the honor roll throughout school and earned her varsity letter in soccer and in choir. She is a member of the Watervliet Dance Team, yearbook staff, choir, and plays soccer for the Lady Panthers. She has volunteered for the Midway Baptist Church Soccer Camp, Glad-Peach 5K Run/Walk, and the Peer to Peer Program where she works with elementary students in the district. Saxe was Miss Teen Coloma in 2014. Her future plans include attending Ferris State University to study criminal justice. She further plans to attend the Detroit Policy Academy on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a police officer. Seeking the Mr. Blossomtime title from Coloma are Robbie Schroeder and Ryley Watson.

Robbie Schroeder is the first runner-up for Mr. Coloma. He is the son of Rob Schroeder and Laura Price. The 17-year-old senior attends Coloma High School. Schroeder participates in football, basketball, and baseball and has received honors in football. He is the captain of the basketball team and has attended the Western Michigan University Leadership Conference and the SAC Leadership Conference. Following high school he plans to attend college to study engineering. He hopes to become a sales engineer. Ryley Watson, 17, is the second runner-up to Mr. Coloma. He is a senior attending Coloma High School and is the son of Andy and Mindy Watson. Watson is involved in football, wrestling, marching band, concert band, jazz band, Academic Challenge and with the robotics team. He plans to attend Lake Michigan College upon graduation to study engineering.

Hartford Miss Hartford, Angela Saldana, is a senior attending Hartford High School The 17-year-old is the daughter of Bert Saldana Sr. and Maria Saldana. The future special education teacher plans to start out attending college locally before transferring to Grand Valley State University to complete her degree. Saldana is a three-season athlete participating in cross country, basketball, and softball. In cross country she has earned 19 individual medals, was named the most valuable player, and made second team all-conference her senior year. Not just an athlete, Saldana is a member of the National Technical Honor Society, made the honor roll every year and has also been selected as the Student of the Week.

In her free time, she enjoys making decorations with her grandmother and spending time with family. Garett Brandt and Adam Wheeler are hoping to be named Mr. Blossomtime. Mr. Hartford, Garrett Brandt, is the son of Gregg Brandt and Laura Burfield. The 17-year-old attending Hartford High School is a senior. Following high school, he plans to attend either Alma College or Western Michigan University to study engineering. He hopes to one day become an aerospace engineer for NASA. In high school Brandt is involved in football, basketball, track, baseball, and Student Council. Adam Wheeler is already a dual title holder being named Mr. Nice Guy and first runner-up to Mr. Hartford. He is the son of Tam Wheeler. The 17-year-old senior attending Hartford High School plans to attend college to pursue a degree in sports management. He is involved in baseball, football, band, and National Honor Society. Wheeler is also dual enrolled at Southwestern Michigan College.

Miss Spirit The community of Hartford will have two queens gracing the stage of the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center this weekend. Olivia Ziemer, named as first runner-up to Miss Hartford, went on to be crowned Miss Spirit 2018. The Miss Spirit of Blossomtime pageant is open to all first runners-up of community pageants. The winner of the Miss Spirit pageant goes on to participate in the Miss Blossomtime pageant though she is not eligible to win Miss Blossomtime, first runner-up, or second runner-up. She is eligible to be selected as Miss Congeniality by her fellow Blossomtime contestants. She may also win awards for the modeling,

communications, photography, and community service portion of the contest. The 18-year-old senior attending Hartford High School is the daughter of Robert and Michelle Ziemer. Ziemer was accepted to the University of Michigan and Grand Valley State University but has not decided which school she will attend. Either way, she plans to study the medical field to fulfill her hope of becoming a physician’s assistant. In school she is involved in Student Council, National Honor Society, Leadership Training, soccer, volleyball, Science Olympiad, Spanish Club, Pep Club, and is the student representative on the Hartford School Board. Ziemer is ranked number one in her class with a 4.0 GPA and has received numerous Academic Excellence Awards. She has received the DAR Good Citizen Award and was selected as the 2017 Homecoming Queen.

Ziemer has been involved in a mission trip to Ecuador and she hopes for more mission trips in her future. She has volunteered as a camp counselor and as a tutor in Spanish. She has 60 hours of community service which includes food drives, blood drives, fund-raisers for children in need, and assisting with Awana. Following the Miss Blossomtime pageant, Miss Spirit will also be able to participate in all the Blossomtime activities that the community queens participate in such as a visit to the State Capital, the Shriner’s Hospital, and the Farm Tour. The Mr. Blossomtime and Showcase of Queens will be held Sunday, March 11, 2018 at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center at 6:30 p.m. The Miss Blossomtime Pageant will be held Monday, March 12, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at the same location. Tickets are $20 for each night and may still be available. Those interested may call the Blossomtime Office at (269) 982-8016 or by visiting the office at 2330 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Joseph.