MENDOTA – The Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding the 2020 Sweet Corn Festival Queen Pageant on Saturday, April 3 at 6 p.m. at the Mendota Civic Center. This will not be a public event. Parents of the candidates will be allowed to attend and Studstill Media will be live-streaming the event. There will be four contestants in the pageant.

Kassidy Barkman is the daughter of Darren Barkman and Sandy Barkman of Mendota and is being sponsored by the Mendota Optimist Club. She is currently attending Blackhawk Community College where she is taking Vet Tech courses. She is also working at The Meadows of Franklin Grove Assisted Living as a CNA. While attending Mendota High School, Barkman participated in softball and volleyball. Her future plans include finishing school and working in a veterinary office. She enjoys helping older people as well as working with animals.

Bianca Espinoza is the daughter of Rene and Jennie Espinoza of Mendota and is being sponsored by the Mendota Area YMCA. She is currently attending the University of St. Francis where she is majoring in nursing and minoring in psychology. She is also involved in the Student Nursing Association. When home from school, Espinoza works as a resident associate at Stonecroft Village. While attending Mendota High School, she participated in volleyball, soccer, and Spanish Club and was also in the Spanish National Honor Society. Espinoza’s future plans include finishing her degree at the University of St. Francis, working as a registered nurse, and going back to obtain a Master’s degree to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. In her spare time, she enjoys drawing.

Theran Schmitt is the daughter of Erik and Veronica Schmitt of Mendota and is being sponsored by the Mendota Elks Lodge #1212. She is currently attending Illinois Valley Community College where she is majoring in Elementary Education and is a part of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society. She is also currently working at Woodhaven Lakes. While attending Mendota and LaSalle-Peru high schools, Schmitt participated in volleyball, bowling, cheerleading, student council, Spanish Club, math team, academic challenge, band, Harbor Homeroom Leader, Challenge Day Student Leader, National Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. She plans to finish at IVCC then transfer to NIU to continue her studies in education. She is also considering minoring in American Sign Language. Schmitt would like to obtain a Master’s degree and work as an administrator someday. Her main goal in life is to be happy and be able to look back and be satisfied with her accomplishments.

Anna Bokus is the daughter of Mike and Kaela Bokus of Mendota and is being sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council #2090. She is currently attending Loyola University in Chicago where she is majoring in biology on the pre-med track. While at Loyola, she is active in intramural beach volleyball, CHAARGE, Pre-Health Society Club, Tri-Beta, Women in Science and Math, Habitat for Humanity, and Loyalthon. While at Mendota High School, Bokus participated in volleyball, basketball, softball, student council, art club, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, math team, and academic challenge. She was also senior class president, an Illinois State Scholar, freshman ambassador, BNC Sportsman Conference Representative and a St. Jude Runner. She plans to graduate from Loyola with a Bachelor’s in Biology and then attend a medical school to become a pediatric oncologist or orthopedic doctor. She enjoys drinking coffee and makes daily trips to Starbucks.