The next group of Sweet Corn Festival Queen candidates are, left to right, Emma Foley, Daniela McConville, Kathryn McNally. (Photo courtesy of Setchell Studio)

MENDOTA - This year’s Sweet Corn Festival Queen contestants have been kept very busy. Most recently, the girls gave a helping hand to the Mendota Chamber of Commerce during the 4^th of July Fireworks event.

All of the 15 candidates in this year’s Sweet Corn Festival Queen Pageant will receive Mendota Gift Certificates. The certificates are gifts from Mendota Chamber member businesses, who are participating a in the Mendota SCF Queen Gift Certificate Program. The gift certificates are redeemable for goods and merchandise in participants’ businesses. The Chamber is very appreciative of their members who have participated, and if any member still wishes to take part, they should call the Chamber office for details.

Now let’s introduce three more pageant hopefuls:

The Mendota Y will be represented by Emma Foley in the 70^th Annual Sweet Corn Festival Queen Pageant on Aug. 11. She is the daughter of Brian and Kristine Foley of Mendota. Foley has brown hair and blue eyes and is 5-4.

A May 2017 graduate of Mendota High School, Foley was a member of the MHS volleyball and track teams for all four years. She served as senior class treasurer and was a student mentor. Foley was selected for the BNC ISHA All-Academic Team while at MHS and also served as Candlelight Co-Chair of Teens Encounter Christ (TEC).

Foley plans to attend Illinois Valley Community College in the fall and eventually seek a bachelor’s degree in athletic training.

This summer you will find her working at a teller at First State Bank, waitressing at the Mendota Moose Family Center and painting pottery at Annie’s Little Pots at the Grand Bear Lodge in Utica. She will also be babysitting and dog sitting, attending concerts, and spending time with her family and friends.

Foley enjoys working out at the Mendota Y in her spare time as well as painting, drawing and photography. She also likes to play backyard games and hike and is especially interested in anatomy, art and helping others.

Foley’s plans for the future include becoming an athletic trainer for a school or college. She is very thankful for the opportunities she has had and is excited to see what life has in store for her along the way.

The Mendota VFW Post 4079 and Auxiliary have chosen Daniela McConville as their candidate for 2017 Sweet Corn Festival Queen. She is the daughter of Dan and Joanna McConville of rural Earlville. McConville is 5-1 and has brown hair and brown eyes.

McConville graduated in May from Mendota High School, where she was a member of FFA for four years and also served as an officer of that organization for two years. She was busy with sports having run cross country for three years and serving as captain of the MHS cross country team. McConville also played soccer for three years of her high school career and was a member of the MHS girls tennis team. She played in the MHS band and was a member of choir for three years along with serving as yearbook editor.

An honor student, McConville attained the honor roll all eight semesters while at MHS, was selected to the National Honor Society and was an Illinois State Scholar. She was a member of the MHS Math Team for four years and participated in Academic Challenge for three years. She received the DeKalb Agriculture Award and BNC All-Academic Award. McConville was also a member of Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) for two years.

McConville plans to attend Illinois State University in the fall, seeking a degree in crop science. She wishes to research, develop and teach in her chosen field.

This summer you will find McConville working at 11^th Street Nursery, trimming, mowing, designing and installing and removing landscapes. She will also be running with her friends and cousins and spending time with her family.

McConville enjoys reading, running and baking cakes, pies and cookies for family and friends. She is especially interested in learning about plants and anything else that deals with agriculture.

McConville loves to laugh and smile and enjoy life. She says every day is a new adventure.

Kathryn McNally is the Sweet Corn Festival Queen candidate selected by Mendota Elks Lodge 1212. She is the daughter of David and Joanne McNally of Mendota. McNally has blue eyes and red hair and is 5-3.

McNally was a May 2017 graduate of Mendota High School, where she was a member of the student council and also served as her class secretary. She was busy with sports as playing MHS volleyball for four years, was a member of the MHS women’s golf team for two years, the MHS bowling team for four years as well as a member the MHS softball team for four years. McNally was selected as a member of the National Honor Society, the BNC All-Academic Team and received the Presidential Excellence Award.

McNally plans to attend St. Ambrose University in the fall seeking a doctorate in pediatric oncology.

This summer you will find McNally working as a crew leader for Atherton Detasseling and as a dietary aid at the Mendota Lutheran Home. She will also be going on vacation, camping, boating and spending time with family and friends before she leaves for college.

McNally enjoys going on trips, as well as going to concerts and shopping. She especially likes rollerblading, swimming, watching movies, cooking, trying new things and being adventurous. Her plans for the future include attending St. Ambrose to study biology, then furthering her education in medical school to become a pediatric oncologist.

McNally says she is excited to start her new adventure in college.