Julie Policz looks back on her year as Greene County Fair Queen
The Greene County Fair Board has announced that a modified version of the Greene County Market Steer and Lamb Sale, which is traditionally held during the annual fair, will take place inside the fairgrounds’ sale barn on Aug. 12, beginning at 6 p.m.
Julie Policz, the 17-year-old daughter of Zora and Wyatt Policz of Jefferson, was crowned 2017 Greene County Fair Queen on Aug. 6, 2017. (Photo courtesy of the Greene County Fair)
Julie Policz, 2017 Greene County Fair Queen, takes time out of her busy schedule during the fair on Tuesday to smile for the camera. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)
Ever since she was a little girl, Julie Policz wanted to be the Greene County Fair Queen.
“I’ve been showing sheep, goats and steers at the fair since I was eight,” said Policz, 18, a resident of Jefferson. “I took home banners, trophies and blue ribbons for my entries in 2014, 2015 and 2017”
Last year, she won prizes much more regal when she achieved her dream and became the 2017 Green County Fair Queen. Wearing a crown and sash, she became the fair’s special ambassador as its queen and was expected to represent the fair with pride and dignity.
To qualify, she had to write an essay on what the fair meant to her, give a speech on what the fair means to the county and conduct an interview with the fair queen judges. For her efforts she was chosen to be the fair’s reigning monarch for an entire year on August 6, 2017.
Looking back on her duties and experiences this past year, she said she attended between 15 and 20 county events as queen, worked with the county commissioners on matters related to the fair and attended parades, car shows and festivals.
Soon after getting her royal title, she put in long hours each day at the Greene County Fair wearing her crown and sash at events. Because she also exhibited her animals, she was able to remove her regalia while showing her entries.
As the reigning queen from Greene County, she was also an eligible contestant for the 2017 Pennsylvania State Fair Queen Competition. With advice from fair secretary, Debbie Stephenson, she vied against 58 other candidates representing counties all over the state at the annual competition in Hershey.
At the competition, she introduced herself to an audience of some 1,000 spectators along with the other contestants who had won the title of queen at a county or other fair somewhere in the state during the year. Wearing an evening gown, she introduced herself and spoke about the fair she represented. Later, a panel of judges interviewed her in a six-minute long question and answer session, and she also managed to attend a couple of professional workshops.
“It was my first time in Hershey and I got to stay in a hotel for four or five nights,” she said. “Everything was very nice, but I was a little nervous standing and speaking in front of the large audience at the competition.”
While she didn’t get to take home the title, she did say the competition was a wonderful experience. As a shy person, she said the event enabled her to “come out of her shell” and talk to people.
A 2018 graduate of Jefferson-Morgan High School, Policz was an honor student, played softball and was a member of the school’s rifle team. Her future plans are to attend California University of Pennsylvania this fall to pursue a career as a radiology technologist.
“In the 11th grade, I took a sports medicine class at the Greene County Career and Technology Center and fell in love with the medical field,” she said. “I eventually want to become trained to take X-rays and do CAT scans and MRIs.”
With the crowning of a new Fair Queen just around the corner, Policz said she’ll feel a bit sad to relinquish the title but glad to see that a younger girl is stepping in to fill her shoes and take over her duties.
“Not only has being the Fair Queen been a great experience,” she said. “I also had a lot of fun attending the events and making new friends.”