Northfield should be extremely proud to have a Minneapolis Aquatennial Queen! Last July, Carolyn Meyer was chosen as the 2017 Minneapolis Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes and there will be an Open House on Sunday June 4, 2017 5:00-8:00 PM with a program at 6:15PM at the Grand Event Center to celebrate. The event is open to the public. How does one become Queen?
It begins with the Defeat of Jesse James Days. Each year three ambassadors are chosen to spend a year representing Northfield. Carolyn was selected as a 2015 Defeat of Jesse James Days Ambassador. During her year she made over 80 appearances promoting DJJD and Northfield as well as volunteering and building leadership skills at local and state levels. At the end of their year, the three DJJD ambassadors can apply for an opportunity to attend the Minneapolis Aquatennial program . “The main reason the Aquatennial Ambassador Program is so beneficial is that their values are an exact mirror of ours”, says Julie Eddy, DJJD Ambassador Scholarship Program chair. “It revolves around community, volunteerism, leadership and scholarship.”
Last year, the Aquatennial Ambassador Organization (AAO) provided the opportunity for 56 young Minnesota women to participate in a candidate development and scholarship program. Candidates who took part in this program participate in volunteer activities, interview sessions, professional development opportunities with local organizations, and go through a rigorous selection process. At the end of the packed five- day program, three ambassadors are selected to represent AAO for the next year.
Being selected as the Minneapolis Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes means Carolyn has been busy travelling around the state of Minnesota as well as many other states and Canada promoting the Minneapolis Aquatennial. Their team makes over 300 appearances. Carolyn loves to talk about Northfield and DJJD everywhere she goes.
The other members who make up the Aquatennial Ambassador team include Aquatennial Princesses Cassie Thielen from Granite Falls and Kassandra Scherping from Winsted, Aquatennial Captains Sarah Schrader of Red Wing and Jim Ganger of St Paul and leading the Aquatennial Ambassador team is Aquatennial Commodore Dan Stoltz, CEO/President of Spire Credit Union who resides in Lino Lakes.
Carolyn is a 2014 graduate of Randolph High School where she was a three-sport athlete and secretary for both the National Honors Society and her FFA chapter. She currently attends the University of St. Thomas where she is majoring in Journalism and Communications. Upon graduating, she hopes to begin her career as a multimedia journalist. Carolyn is employed as a sports editor for Tommie Media and aspires to serve on the Executive Board before graduation.
Northfield has had only a couple prior ladies achieve the Aquatennial title – In 2015, Sonia Berdahl was Aquatennial Princess and prior to that in 1990 Amy Machacek Shonka was Aquatennial Princess. Eddy continues, “It goes to show how much competition there is for these titles & why we are so thrilled for Carolyn. She is very deserving of this as she truly is one of kind.”
Queen Carolyn
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