Four Muscatine area ladies will vie for honors as the Muscatine County Fair Queen on the opening day of the fair Wednesday, July 17, to replace Kiley Langley of rural Wilton, who not only won the local crown but finished runner-up last year in the Iowa state fair queen pageant.
Langley, an Ellsworth Community College student who has a goal of becoming a veterinarian, will give up her crown to one of four girls in this year’s contest according to pageant coordinator Merideth Schanz. The 5 p.m. pageant held on the Grove stage will also choose a runner-up and a Miss Congeniality. This year’s queen will also compete in the state fair pageant.
The four candidates include Rhynn Miller, 16; Kaylynn Huot, 17; Addison Weggen, 16, and Avery Schroeder, 18.
Photos are on pages 8 and 9.
Rhynn Miller is the daughter of Chuck and Cassie Miller of Fruitland and is sponsored by Eichelberger Law Office in Muscatine. This fall, Rhynn will be a senior at Muscatine High School, where she is active in FFA, French Club and golf.
She has competed in many competitions with her local FFA Chapter, including biotech, conduct, envirothon and floral where her team was named State Champion and went on to compete at Nationals in 2023.
Rhynn has also acted as a delegate for FFA Districts and has had top fruit sales for three years running while participating in many activities, like Ag Safety Day, STEM Day and Muscatine FFAs annual plant sale, where she has helped choose the plant varieties, care for and nurture their growth as well as maintain organization of the greenhouse during the sales process.
During Fair season for the last three years, Rhynn has shown Southdown Sheep, last year winning Reserve Champion at the Muscatine County Fair and has participated in the Ribbon Auction every year.
Rhynn has also been taking college courses through Muscatine Community College where she has maintained a 4.0 GPA and was on the Dean's List this year. After graduation, she plans on finishing her credits at MCC and then transferring to Iowa State where she hopes to major in AG Business and minor in Horticulture. Her long term goal is to continue her education to obtain her doctor of chiropractic license and specialize in animal chiropractic.
Kaylynn Huot is the daughter of Becky and Jeff Huot and is sponsored by her godmother, Ginny Smith. Soon to be a senior at Muscatine High School, Kaylynn is involved in marching band, show choir, curricular band, curricular choir, FFA, National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, student council, girl’s bowling and peer mentoring. She has also previously been a part of the volleyball and track teams, and was a member of the first official girl’s wrestling team at MHS. She has also played city league softball since she was four.
Kaylynn is going to be a band section leader for her second year, and was previously the junior class vice president. She attends Saints Mary and Mathias Church in Muscatine. There, she has been an alter server for seven years.
She has shown goats in the county fair for three years, as well as starting photography this year. Kaylynn has participated in the Ribbon Auction every year.
Throughout her time in high school, she has been granted several awards. Some include music letter awards, academic letters, most active freshman in FFA, and service stars for the MHS Choral Department.
After graduation, Kaylynn plans on attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she will major in Fisheries and Wildlife, with a specialty in Zoo Animal Care. After graduating from UNL, she plans to transfer to a university in Florida to get her master’s degree in Marine Biology.
Addison (Addie) Weggen is the daughter of Matt and LeeAnn Weggen, and will be a senior at Muscatine High School where she is an active member in FFA, girls varsity bowling and she has participated in choir, theater, and track & field. During her senior year Addie will serve as a Muscatine FFA reporter and as a feature section editor for the school newspaper.
She will also be dual enrolled at Muscatine Community College through the business academy program. After graduating the program, she hopes to transfer to Iowa State University and pursue a degree in agricultural communications.
Throughout high school FFA so far Addie has competed in nursery landscape, environmental & natural resources, ag sales, envirothon, conduct of meetings, prepared public speaking and extemporaneous speaking.
At the fair, Addie has participated in the premier exhibitor contest, the ribbon auction, and shows lambs through FFA.
Avery Schroeder is a 2024 graduate of Muscatine High School and is the daughter of Jami and Mary Schroeder while being sponsored by Schroeder Auctions.
During high school, Avery was involved in volleyball, basketball, track, softball, National Honor Society, MHS morning announcements along with her participation in FFA and 4-H. She served as the Muscatine FFA Chapter President her senior year and has been the Sweetland 4-H Club President the past three years. She has competed in numerous FFA contests and participated in static projects and shown livestock through 4-H.
Avery plans to attend Iowa State University this Fall to major in agricultural business.