If it's FFA, 4-H or anything related to youth getting involved in the Central Iowa Fair, Katherine Newhouse has been proud to be a part of it for years.
The 2012 fair will be one to remember for the 17-year-old from rural State Center.
Newhouse was named the Central Iowa Fair Queen during the coronation ceremony Wednesday night.
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T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW POTTER
Katherine Newhouse, left, smiles after being named the 2012 Central Iowa Fair Queen at the fair Wednesday night. Next to her is the Little Miss Princess Laurin Goecke.
"I'm really shaking right now," Newhouse said after the coronation. "I'm so excited to go out and represent the county."
She said FFA, 4-H and the fair have helped her learn and grow through the years.
"I really want to give back to this organization," Newhouse said.
The senior-to-be at West Marshall High School did an essay, presentation and interview for a set of four judges. One of those judges was event host Denny Grabenbauer.
"I think her passion is there for this," Grabenbauer said.
He also said the other queen candidates stood out with their vast accomplishments.
"It really makes you proud that we are from our county," Grabenbauer said.
Other candidates included Tamera Harre, McKinze Goecke, Samantha Stalzer, Hannah Thomae and Macy Logan. Thomae was named first runner-up at the event.
In a first this year, a Little Miss Princess was randomly selected out of 17 kindergarten through third grade girls. Laurin Goecke, 8, of State Center, won the honor this year.
Newhouse will represent Marshall County in a variety of ways including at the 2012 Iowa State Fair, which runs Aug. 9 though 19, with the state fair queen coronation Aug. 11.
The Central Iowa Fair continues through Sunday at the fairgrounds in Marshalltown.