ST. PAUL, Minn. –Nine young women were named as finalists for the 71st Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Earlier in May, dairy princesses from across the state gathered for the annual May Leadership Event held May 10-11 at the Delta Hotel in Minneapolis. The weekend included opportunities for networking, leadership workshops, and a chance to compete for a finalist spot for Princess Kay of the Milky Way for young women rooted with a passion for dairy. This year’s theme of “Make it Matter. Make it Happen,” provided attendees with confidence in their leadership skills and knowledge through various inspiring and educational sessions.
Dave Schwartz, Princess Committee Chair and Minnesota dairy farmer stated, “As a life-long dairy promoter, this program is one of my favorites and most cherished. Seeing these young women share their excitement for dairy assures me the future of the dairy industry is bright.”
To compete to be a finalist for Princes Kay of the Milky Way, each princess submitted an application, participated in a professional interview, prepared and delivered a speech and participated in a mock media interview. Princess Kay candidates are judged on their general knowledge of the dairy industry, communication skills, and enthusiasm for promoting dairy.
Of the participants, nine finalists were named and will go on to compete for the title of Minnesota’s 71st Princess Kay of the Milky Way in late August of 2024.
This year’s finalists include:
- Selena Corona; Saint Joseph; daughter of Kelly Corona & Ross Lemke, Steve Corona; representing Stearns County
- Katie Ketchum; Altura; daughter of Mary and Mike Ketchum; representing Winona County
- Mackenzie Moline; Saint Peter; daughter of Gail and Rob Moline; representing Nicollet County
- Afton Nelson; Owatonna; daughter of Stacy and Tim Nelson; representing Steele County
- Miranda Schroeder; Caledonia; daughter of Sheila and Daniel Schroeder; representing Houston County
- Rachel Visser; Hutchinson; daughter of Shannon and Barry Visser; representing McLeod County
- Katelyn Welgraven; Ruthton; daughter of Jeanna and Keith Welgraven; representing Pipestone County
- Grace Woitalla, Avon; daughter of Patty and Keith Woitalla; representing Stearns County
- McKenna Wright; Hutchinson; daughter of Heather and Paul Wright; representing McLeod County
These young women will have their likeness carved in butter during the 2024 Minnesota State Fair.
Midwest Dairy sponsors the Princess Kay of the Milky Way program, which is funded by dairy farmers through their promotion checkoff.
Midwest Dairy® represents 4,000 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in our products and production practices. We are committed to Bringing Dairy to Life! by giving Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience and are funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com, and follow us on Facebook and YouTube.