Eight young women are competing for the Miss Litchfield crown this year.
Watercade’s finale is the annual queen coronation, which includes the crowning of the new Miss Litchfield, as well as two princesses of equal rank.
Current Miss Litchfield Karly Nelson and princesses Autumn Raiber and Kaitlyn Beighley will crown their successors at 7 p.m., Sunday, July 10, at Bernie Aaker Auditorium. Admission is $5.
Nelson, Raiber and Beighley and the eight Miss Litchfield candidates will appear at many Watercade events July 6-10 to introduce themselves.
Kaitlyn Hansen
Parents: Travis and Melissa Hansen
Siblings: Tyler, 14; Khloe, 6; Bentley, 1
Sponsor: Kinsella Chiropractic Clinic
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Favorite school activities: Speech, yearbook, UBU, YES
Special talent: I love to sing, and I am currently learning how to play guitar.
Hobbies/favorite activities: In my free time I love to read, run, or hang out with friends and family.
Employment: I am employed at Kinsella Chiropractic Clinic and Kids of the Kingdom.
Post secondary education plans: I will be attending Ridgewater College to pursue a degree in pre-chiropractic.
Future plans: Coming back to Litchfield and hopefully working for Dr. Tim Kinsella
Person you most admire and why: Dr. Tim Kinsella, because he has worked hard to get where he is today. He has helped and inspired me to become successful.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I would like to be Miss Litchfield, because I want to get involved in the community. I’ve wanted to be Miss Litchfield since I was very young.
Justine Madsen
Parents: Chris and Jennifer Madsen
Siblings: Dylan, 16; Nicole, 21
Sponsor: Hicks Bus Line & Trucking
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Favorite school activities: Track, UBU
Hobbies/favorite activities: Spending time with my friends and family.
Employment: Divine Home Care, PCA
Post secondary education plans: I plan on attending Ridgewater College in the fall for generals, but am considering studying to be a medical assistant.
Future plans: Hopefully I’ll be in a career field that I am passionate about doing. Being able to provide for myself.
Person you most admire and why: My best friend, Shelbie. She has always been there for me; she’s outgoing and is always there to listen. I look up to her.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I want to be more involved in the community. I want to be a part of something.
Brandi Granlund
Parents: Troy and Melissa Granlund
Siblings: December, 23
Sponsor: Stockmen’s Greenhouse and Landscaping
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Favorite school activities: I am a swimmer and also a band member. I was one of the swim team’s captains this last season.
Special talent: I am very good with children and making people feel comfortable around me. I am a quick learner.
Hobbies/favorite activities: In my free time I like to go outside and get fresh air while I play with or walk my dog, help my grandpa mow lawns, or help my mom and grandparents in the garden.
Employment: I am currently employed at Powder Ridge and Stockmen’s Greenhouse and Landscaping.
Post secondary education plans: I plan on going to Ridgewater Community College in Willmar and studying photography.
Future plans: I see myself having my own photography studio, making money and helping to support my family.
Person you most admire and why: Mr. Ceasar because of everything he does for the band and how much he cares for all of us. He is an amazing teacher and dad figure to all of us.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I want to be Miss Litchfield because I want to represent Litchfield and show people that there is good, young role models in Litchfield. I also want to give the little girls encouragement to strive to be a good person and be able to have a Miss Litchfield to look up to.
Michelle Oster
Parents: Robert and Brenda Oster
Siblings: Ryan, 29; Dan, 21; Tim, 19
Sponsor: Ramsey Printing & Design, Inc.
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Favorite school activities: Band, theater, UBU, marching band/color guard
Special talent: I sing, play piano, tap dance, am in color guard, and acting.
Person you most admire and why: The person I admire most is Kim Sundve. She is always there when I need someone to talk to. She is like a second mother to me. She supports me in what I do and I can always count on her when I need help.
Hobbies/favorite activities: I like to sing, hang out with friends and family, play piano, watch Netflix, enjoy the outdoors, going on walks, going to the lake with friends, and I also like to spend time with youth.
Employment: Employed at Kids of the Kingdom.
Post secondary education plans: Ridgewater College in Willmar for cosmetology.
Future plans: I see myself having a family of my own, living in or close to Litchfield. I also see myself having a successful career in a salon or owning my own salon.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I want to represent the town I grew up in and to be able to let others know how great it is. Everyone in this community is so close and I love being a part of it. For me, growing up in a small town is a blessing.
Shelbie Behnke
Parents: Dan and Tammy Behnke
Siblings: Brandon Behnke, 20
Sponsor: Waste Management of Winsted
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Special talent: Dog training and pet therapy; helping my mom decorate the house, gardening, cooking and baking.
Hobbies/favorite activities: Working with my dogs, playing with my cat, spending time with family and friends. I enjoy shopping with my mom, camping and doing outdoor activities like hunting and fishing.
Employment: I work after school at Thomton Sperry Jensen & Keithahn. I am also involved in dog training and pet therapy.
Post secondary education plans: I plan on going to Ridgewater College in the fall and taking the Massage Therapy, AAS Program. This includes general education courses that emphasize communication, psychology, and sociology, as my goal is to pursue my RN degree.
Future plans: I see myself having a job that I enjoy and starting a family. I also want to have a foster home for rescue dogs and/or raise puppies to become service dogs. I also want to travel and see the world.
Person you most admire and why: Lucille Ball is who I admire. She is the woman who will always be remembered as the crazy, accident-prone, sneaky and lovable person.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I would be honored to represent my community because we are a small town and I feel safe here. We have great small-town hospitality and great local businesses, and organizations, and I feel like it would be a great experience.
Hailey Stoffer
Parents: Larry Stoffer and Judy Engelson
Siblings: Cole, 15; Jayda, 9
Sponsor: Litchfield McDonald’s
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Favorite school activities: Throughout high school, I was in volleyball for two years. This year I will be in track for five years. I was in color guard/marching band for three years. I am currently in FCCLA.
Special talent: I am a great listener. I have always had a desire to help people. I am a kind, considerate person.
Hobbies/favorite activities: I love to hang out with my friends and family. I love my sports. I enjoy camping and fishing in the summertime.
Employment: I work at the Litchfield McDonald’s.
Post secondary education plans: I will be continuing my education at Southwest Minnesota State University. I plan on majoring in exercise science in hopes to one day become an occupational therapist.
Future plans: I want to be working at a hospital or nursing home as an occupational therapist. I want to be married with a family, also.
Person you most admire and why: My track coach. He has had a lot of health issues and that doesn’t knock him down. He is determined and motivated, and I admire that about him.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I really want to get out there, break out of my shell. I really enjoy the thought of me representing my hometown. I just want to prove to myself and everyone else I can really do this, and if I don’t succeed, I want to know I tried.
Ariana Jackman
Parents: James and Maureen Jackman
Siblings: Kal, 16; Sydney, 13, Garrison, 10
Sponsor: Litchfield Building Center
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Favorite school activities: Girls swim and dive, track and field, student council, UBU, fall musicals, One Act, Bel Canto Choir, Dragonaires, women’s choir, varsity band, concert band, marching band, NHS, FCCLA and honor choir.
Special talent: I like to think acting and singing are special talents that I have improved on, and I hope to continue to improve.
Hobbies/favorite activities: I enjoy reading, writing quotes in my affirmational journal, watching NCIS and a variety of shows, painting, and learning the lines to my favorite show tunes. Along with hanging out with my friends and family, I also enjoy rearranging my room at late hours of the night.
Employment: I am currently employed at Dragon Kids Club, an after school daycare program provided by Community Education.
Post secondary education plans: I am attending St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. I plan to pursue a double major in theater and psychology.
Future plans: Ten years from now, I hope to see myself working with depressed teenagers and young adults. Hopefully I will have developed a way to connect therapy and theater. I also see myself performing professionally and through community theater.
Person you most admire and why: The person I admire most is Lesli Margherita. Lesli is an actress, who recently performed in “Dames at Sea,” on Broadway. Lesli has confidence like no one I have ever seen before. She is unafraid to be herself, for all the world to see. She is very encouraging, and her confidence aspires me to continue to be true to myself.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I would like to be Miss Litchfield because it has always been a dream of mine. I remember, when I was younger, I would see the beautiful girls in gowns and crowns and I wanted to be just like them. I want to be the girl who younger generations look up to.
Cindy Amparo-Espinoza
Parents: Juan Amparo and Maria Espinoza
Siblings: Marlene, 27; Joanna, 26; Maria, 22; and Angela, 9
Sponsor: Emmanuel Home of Ecumen
Education: LHS, 2016 graduate
Favorite school activities: Volleyball, basketball, softball, and I used to be in track. Women’s choir, band, percussion, drumline.
Special talent: I can cook up about anything. Do hairstyles/makeup, sing opera.
Hobbies/favorite activities: Hang out with friends, sketch, color, draw, go for walks, sleep, spend time with my family, workout with friends or sisters, paint.
Employment: Crow’s Nest (group home), and Ecumen (nursing home).
Post secondary education plans: Going to attend Ridgewater College in Hutchinson, for my two years of school to get my generals done. After that I will be transferring to become an orthodontist.
Future plans: Hopefully done with college, having a family of my own, or travel a lot.
Why would you like to be Miss Litchfield?: I feel like it would be an interesting but exciting and overwhelming experience. I’m open to new things and always ready to take on new challenges.
Copyrgiht 2016 Litchfield Independent Review/Crow River Media/Media News Group.