In the News: Chosen to represent the county fair

Newberg High School senior Katie Noragon (left) and McMinnville High School senior Marissa Dyck have been chosen as the 2013 Yamhill County Fair and Rodeo Ambassadors and will travel across the county over the next month to promote the annual event, which will take place July 31 through Aug. 3 at the fairgrounds in McMinnville.

Already a state champion FFA competitor, highly-successful member of 4-H and an accomplished cavy breeder, Newberg High School senior Katie Noragon has spent plenty of time at the Yamhill County Fairgrounds.

That not only made her an easy choice to serve as an ambassador for the Yamhill County Fair and Rodeo, but was also a major reason why she applied.

Alongside recent McMinn­ville High School graduate Marissa Dyck, Noragon will help draw attention to the fair across the county over the next month and receive a $1,000 college scholarship for her efforts.

“It’s something that you definitely have to work for and achieve,” Noragon said of the honor. “It’s a great way to give back to your community. I know the Yamhill County Fairgrounds has done a lot for me being an FFA member and a 4-H member. Since that’s my home county fairgrounds, it’s nice to give back and serve them.”

Noragon teamed up with her younger sister, sophomore Karissa, to win the FFA state title in agriscience after formulating and testing their own cavy feed. The duo already run the Kate’s Cavies breeding business, but NHS FFA advisor Bob Beckner believes they could also have another viable business on their hands with their feed product. He also believes Katie will represent Newberg and the high school well.

“She’s motivated, very professional in her mannerisms, and respectful,” Beckner said. “If she’s going to do something, she wants to do the best she can, so it’s quality work no matter what she attempts.”

Noragon started her cavy business in middle school and is currently working on creating a breed with a checker-pattern coat. Her experience in selective breeding has given her a foot in the door of genetic engineering, which she plans to pursue in college.

“I’m completely fascinated by genetics and one day I’m hoping I can contribute,” Noragon said. “I have a really bad food allergy and I want to make sure kids like me can eat peanut butter and peanut products by taking the protein gene out of it, which is what we’re all allergic to. They’ve already done that with milk.”

An honor roll student involved in theater, Noragon’s appointment as a fair ambassador will also allow her to indulge her penchant for public speaking.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot about my fairgrounds through this also,” said Noragon, who placed second in the extemporaneous category at the FFA district competition. “Being the PR person is a lot of fun and I really enjoy it.”

The ambassador program is in its third year after replacing the county fair and rodeo court program that preceded it.

Former county commissioner and chairwoman of the Ambassador program Leslie Lewis said the fair decided to stray away from the rodeo-based program because it wanted to open up the opportunity to all high school students in the area, most of whom don’t have the horse-riding skills required to promote the fair at other rodeos in the state.

The ambassador program, which accepts applications in January, is open to all high school juniors and seniors, including private and home-schooled students, with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher.

To schedule this year’s ambassadors for a speaking engagement, call Sue Fredrickson at 1-503-434-7524 or email her at fair@co.yamhill.or.us.

By: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic