The contestants vying for the title of 81st International Rice Festival Queen have been announced by Tessa Richard, Rice Festival Queen’s Contest Chairman.
The Queen’s Pageant will begin at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Supreme Rice Sound Stage located on the courthouse grounds.
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Kathryn Shea
Duncan
Kathryn Shea is the 21-year-old daughter of Kathy Duncan and the late Shea Duncan of Crowley. She currently attends the University of Louisiana at Lafayette majoring in marketing with plans to graduate in May of 2018. Kathryn Shea is employed as a Marketing Assistant with Lafayette Habitat for Humanity and has previously served as UL Habitat for Humanity’s President and Fundraising Chairperson. She is a member of the Bayou Krewe, a photographer for the International Rice Festival Cookbook, attended Louisiana Youth Seminar and is currently co-authoring a children’s book. She has been the recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, the Louisiana Volunteer Service Award and has been nominated for outstanding Junior at ULL. Kathryn Shea has also been honored to receive the Florence Mauboules Charitable Scholarship, the Fanny Edith Winn Scholarship and the Rotary Club Scholarship. She is a volunteer with the Healing House and once visited Costa Rica on a mission trip. In her spare time she enjoys photography, attending Louisiana fairs and festivals, reading self-help books, public speaking, promoting Louisiana tourism and volunteering. Her plans after graduation are to pursue her MBA at UL Lafayette next fall. Kathryn Shea’s sponsor is the Crowley Professional Women’s Club and she is representing the City of Crowley.
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Sydney Marie Kay
Richardell
Sydney is the 22-year-old daughter of Darryl and Lisa Richardelle of Erath. Currently a student at Nicholls State University, she is majoring in Birth to Five Elementary Education, Special Education/Early Intervention with plans to graduate in May of 2018. Sydney is currently employed as a Resident Assistant for Housing and Resident Life at Nicholls State. She is a Delta Zeta Sorority Extension Philanthropy Chair member, Phi Kappa Phi Vice President, Student Government Association’s Supreme Court Chief Justice and the President of the Student Educators and Leaders Organization. Sydney has been named Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities, she was a member of the Nicholls State Homecoming Court, has received the Colonel Leaders and Scholars Award, the Delta Zeta CCD Award, the SGA Leadership Award and was named Ms. Nicholls 2017. She is a Bridge to Independence Volunteer, a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and also volunteers for Bayou Children’s Country Museum. In her spare time she enjoys working out, reading, spending time with family and friends and has recently found a love of hiking. She also enjoys road trips and sporting events. Sydney’s sponsor is the Louisiana Cattle Festival.
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Allison Taylor
Vaughn
Allison is the 20-year-old daughter of James and Renee Vaughn of Paragould, Arkansas. She is currently a student at Arkansas State University where she is majoring in Exercise Science and Occupational Therapy and is currently employed as a Rehab Tech at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center. Allison serves as the VP of the Student Philanthropy Council and is a member of Chi Omega, Volunteer A-State, Up Till Dawn, the Occupational Therapy Club and the United Way. She has been named to the Chancellor’s List, is a member of the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success and has received the Focus Bank Scholarship and the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship. Her hobbies include photography, traveling and painting. Allison has helped to raise over $100,000 for Make-A-Wish, volunteers for Americans for Prosperity, the North East Arkansas Food Bank, the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, the Tim Tebow Foundation and the Miracle League Network. She is a member of the Stanford Baptist Church and the Campus Outreach Student Ministry of Arkansas State University. Her sponsor is the Arkansas Rice Festival.
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Caroline Elizabeth
Hardy
Caroline is the 18-year-old daughter of Kevin and Sharla Hardy of Welsh. She is currently a student at the McNeese State University with a double major in General Agriculture and Molecular Biology. Caroline has been a member of FFA holding various offices from a local to state level, the 4-H Club, the Lacassine High Student Council and the Lacassine French Club. She is also a member of Phi Mu. Her honors and awards include being named Jeff Davis Parish and Lacassine High School Student of the Year, the Perfect Attendance Award and Lacassine High School 2017 Valedictorian. She has also been the recipient of the Fritz Lang Scholarship and the Linda and Wayne Zaubrecher Farm Bureau Scholarship. Caroline has been named Miss Lacassine, Miss Jeff Davis Parish Farm Bureau and Miss Jeff Davis Fair Queen. A member of St. John’s Catholic Church, she serves as an altar server and has volunteered for the church bazaar. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, intramural sports at McNeese, volunteering for philanthropy events for her sorority and hunting. She is representing the Jeff Davis Parish Fair.
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Sarah Dorothy
Boudreaux
Sarah is the 22-year-old daughter of Jeanne and Destinn Cutrera and Davis and Brenda Boudreaux of New Iberia. She is a 2016 graduate of the Academy of Acadiana and is employed as an Insurance and Coding Specialist. Sarah was a member of Student Council, the CHS Alumni Association, Sub Junior Miss and a volunteer with the Special Olympics. She is the recipient of the Jeff Sargent Memorial Scholarship, the Go Big Red Award, the Highest GPA and Perfect Attendance Awards and was chosen as Class President and Senior Favorite. Sarah serves as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Peter’s Church and gives her time volunteering for the Gumbo Cookoff, the Consolata Nursing Home and for Project Graduation. She is also a member of the Optimist Club. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, spending time outdoors, volunteering and working out. Her sponsor for this year’s contest is Coastal Timbers, Incorporated.
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Blair Elizabeth
Bergeron
Blair is the 19-year-old daughter of Sarah and Eddie Bergeron of Rayne. Currently a student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette majoring in nursing, Blair is employed by Piggly Wiggly as a cashier. While in high school, she was a member of the Beta Club, Student Council, the Health Occupation Society of America, the National Honor Society, the softball and volleyball teams and the cheerleading squad. During her time at UL, she has participated in Ragin Cajun Catholics and the UL Nurses Association as well as the co-ed softball and beach volleyball teams. She has received various awards for softball and volleyball, the LHSAA Coaching Scholarship, the Gamma Kappa Scholarship and was a Valentine Ball Court Member. Blair is a volunteer with Life Teen, the City of Rayne Easter Egg Hunt, Red Ribbon Rally, the Rayne Frog Festival, Pennies for Patients and the Angel Tree. In her spare time she enjoys working out, cooking, drawing, window shopping and singing as loud as possible to the radio in her car. She loves adventure, learning different ways to accomplish new goals, stepping out of her comfort zone and exploring new ideas. Her sponsor is the City of Rayne.
Contestants will be judged in interview and stage presentation.
Crowning the 2017 International Rice Festival Queen will be Festival Honoree Dr. Rustum Ernest Girouard Jr.
The 81st Rice Festival Queen will be presented with cash scholarships and will represent the International Rice Festival at the Washington, D.C., Mardi Gras Ball and the Rice Millers Association Convention being held in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia in 2018. A $500 scholarship will also be awarded to one contestant based on academic performance.