Penn Yan Theatre Company Evolves Village Tradition
Penn Yan Theatre Company Evolves Village Tradition
Recently, the Yates County Women made the difficult decision to discontinue their efforts to organize the Miss Penn Yan Program that takes place during the Village’s StarShine celebration. The Penn Yan Theatre Company (PYTCo) has taken on the task of continuing this program, with some changes.
The program is now called the Penn Yan Youth Ambassador Program and is open to all students in their junior year, regardless of gender. All other elements of the village tradition remain intact. Each candidate, sponsored by a local nonprofit, will be judged through a personal interview and a prepared speech about their sponsoring organization.
Three Penn Yan Academy juniors have submitted applications to be featured as the inaugural Penn Yan Youth Ambassador: Lia Bush, Rachel Dann and Owen Droney. Each candidate is highly involved at school and the community.
Lia Bush is sponsored by Penn Yan Lions Club. She has been involved with Ski Club, International Club, OAC Club, Future Teachers Program and Softball Youth Clinic. Lia serves as Junior Class President and has played JV and varsity volleyball and varsity softball. She works as a nutritional service aide for Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital and is a busser at the Wagner Restaurant. If Lia was in charge of Penn Yan for one day, she would set up a community-wide food drive by asking for support from local businesses and citizens of Penn Yan to donate food.
Rachel Dann is a member of the Future Farmers of America, which also serves as her sponsor. She is actively involved in the Penn Yan Academy FFA, having attended multiple state and national conventions and conferences, serving in leadership roles and at many of their local events. She has volunteered at the Yates County Fair, Pageant of Steam and the Touch a Truck event at the Branchport Library. Rachel works at Dann Auctioneers, Dann Taxes and Jeff Dann Farms. If in charge of Penn Yan for a day, Rachel would dedicate the day to celebrating and educating the community about the vital role agriculture plays in our local economy and way of life.
Owen Droney’s activities include being a member of the National Honor Society, Outdoor Adventure Club, Tennis, Drama Club, Jazz Band, Chorus, Band, Orchestra and is a Senior Volunteer Counselor. He is sponsored by the Penn Yan Elks Lodge. If Owen was realistically in charge of Penn Yan for a day, he would set up an event where families, with children of all ages, could come down to either Red Jacket or Indian Pines to spend a day together on beautiful Keuka Lake.
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Contact:
Grace Knapton
315-694-0811
