Kelsey Post balances roles of fair queen and college student during whirlwind year

This has been a whirlwind year for OU-C student Kelsey Post, the reigning Jackson County Fair queen. After winning the county-wide competition in July, she began traveling throughout the region to appear at community and county fairs, and then began her college career when OU-C fall classes began in September. In January, Post participated in the statewide fair queen competition in Columbus.

“This has been a busy time with a lot of changes for me, but I am enjoying the experience. Sometimes it is difficult to balance my obligations as fair queen along with academics and work responsibility,” said Post, who also works part-time at a fast-food restaurant in Jackson. “Fortunately, my professors have been very understanding and I have been able to do homework while traveling as best I can. I am also taking some online classes, which help because they allow me to keep a flexible schedule.”

Post, a Jackson High School graduate, won the county competition against approximately 20 other contestants. Criteria included poise, grace, public speaking and how the contestants presented themselves to the public, as well as her involvement in 4-H.

Post entered the contest through her involvement with the local 4-H club. She has been active in the organization, serving as president of the local club, as a 4-H camp counselor and as a state 4-H ambassador. She has also been a Junior Fair board member and secretary.

“Being involved as a fair queen has been a great experience. While I used to be shy, it has helped to develop my public-speaking skills sine much of my time is spent in the public eye. In addition to meeting people throughout the region and the state, I have had the opportunity to develop life skills such a leadership, responsibility and money-management,” she said.

Much of her efforts are directed toward supporting breast cancer awareness, which is her focus as fair queen. Post says she was inspired to pursue this cause by Paula Erwin, a former senior fair board member and school gym teacher who lost her life to breast cancer. The name of the breast cancer group of which Post is a member is “tiddlypinks,” capturing the essence of the color pink, which symbolizes breast cancer awareness.

Post, who began showing animals as a 4-H member, plans to become a veterinarian and will eventually relocate to the Athens campus to complete her pre-veterinary degree.

“I love it at OU-C. It has a friendly campus environment and it is easy to make friends and talk with people. Everybody seems to be helpful,” she said.

“This has been a pretty cool year. I learned a lot and made a lot of good friends. It is a once in a lifetime experience,” she said.