Grace Nyseth is the Potato Festival candidate representing Henley High School. She has attended Henley since 7th grade. Her parents are Christie Cahill and Ryan Nyseth. Her stepmom is Rhonda Nyseth. Her little sister, Samantha Nyseth, is 14 and a sophomore at Henley. Grace has been very involved in sports and extracurricular since middle school. She studied Taekwondo from the 6^th to 9^th grade, started track and basketball in 8th grade, and continued her involvement in those sports until her sophomore year. She played volleyball in 9^th and 10^th grade. Her goal for senior year is to play volleyball and track. Grace has been involved in student council since freshman year. She was class president during both her freshman and sophomore years, and ASB secretary her junior year. During her senior year, Grace will serve as Henley ASB president.  After high school Grace plans to attend Linn Benton Community College for two years and then transfer to OSU to complete her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. After college she plans a career in law enforcement. After she has graduated college and started her career, Grace would like to get married and have a family.

Tayla Berry was born in Gresham and raised by her grandparents, Danny and Tena Mays. She is an only child and spent all four years attending Bonanza High School. Tayla is very active in her community and has always had a passion for helping others. She has shown steers through Bonanza FFA for three years. Tayla is also an active member in FBLA, treasurer of the National Honors Society, part of the Bonanza High School leadership class, and plans to participate in the Miss Klamath County Pageant as well. Tayla has over fifty hours of community service hours and continued her work by volunteering at Sky Lakes hospital this past summer. She is also in charge of running Bonanza’s Red Cross blood drives. Some of Tayla’s other school activities include softball and basketball.

After high school Tayla plans to attend Oregon State University to pursue the career as a neonatal nurse. Tayla is driven by hard work and passion. She hopes to make her community proud of her achievements, and she is very proud to represent Bonanza this year in the Klamath Basin Potato Festival.

Zoe Hill Sparks is Klamath Falls born and raised and attends Klamath Union High School. She is the daughter of Jeff Sparks and Amy Hill and has a younger sister, Zia. In school, Zoe is in honors classes, the marching, symphonic, and jazz bands playing the baritone saxophone, and in the IGNITE leadership program. She lettered in band in 2019, has received three Academic Achievement awards for high GPA in her three years of high school. She earned the award for ‘Best Actress in a Cameo Role’ after playing the part of Catherine in her school’s adaption of The Children’s Hour. Outside of school, she has been in ballet for the last eleven years and sometimes volunteers at the local library. She worked as a childcare assistant at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Klamath Falls for a year, interned at the Klamath Falls City Schools IMTC office last summer, and was a junior counselor at a summer camp at Southern Oregon University. In her free time, Zoe loves collecting house plants, playing her saxophone, going to Disneyland, and writing, which earned her first place in a contest at the Klamath County Library. After high school, she plans to go to college to study for either a marine biology or writing degree.

Gabby Haskins of Lost River Jr./Sr. High School is the daughter of Norma Lou and Brent Haskins and the granddaughter of Margaret and Vergil Mud Haskins and Betty Lou and Norman Ryckman. Gabby is very involved in her community of Merrill, Oregon. She is an active member of her school’s FFA chapter, serving as a chapter officer for 3 years. Her junior year she was chapter Vice President. Gabby is a member of the National Honors Society, Leo’s Club, and is a part of Lost River’s volleyball team. Outside of school, Gabby shows market hogs through 4-H, which she has done for 8 years. After high school, Gabby plans to stay true to her roots by working in the world of agriculture. She plans to attend Klamath Community College to earn a degree in Ag Business. Gabby was part of the Klamath Basin Potato Festival Queens Court as a Junior Princess in 2008, when she was a kindergartener at Merrill Elementary school. Since then, it has been her dream to take part again by representing Lost River as their queen candidate. Gabby is excited to be carrying out her dream and to see where this experience takes her.

Jennifer Ibarra-Barajas is a senior at Mazama High School. She was born and raised in Klamath Falls by parents Evelia and Jose Ibarra. She is the oldest of 3 siblings. Jennifer is involved in many extracurricular activities. She has been a class representative and part of student government all four years. She is part of the STEM&M program through OIT, where she is pursuing the medical pathway. She is also part of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) and has competed for two years. She belongs to the Kindness Club and has also participated in the soccer program for three years. Her hobbies include photography, volunteering and running. After high school Jennifer plans to attend Oregon State University and major in chemistry and Pre-Med. Jennifer’s ultimate goal is to go to medical school and become an anesthesiologist.

Annette Chavez attends Tulelake High School and has been raised in Tulelake her whole life. Annette’s parents are Alejandra and Javier Chavez and she has two younger siblings, Quetzalli and Jireh. Annette has been Student Body Vice President for two years will also serve as Student Body President during her senior year. Throughout her high school career, she has been on the volleyball, basketball, and softball teams. In addition, she has been involved in Rotary Interact for three years, participated on a Vet Science team for FFA for three years, has raised hogs for the Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair for 7 years, is currently a Jr. Fair board member. She was chosen to be this year’s Ms. Tulelake for the Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair. Annette has a drive to be involved in her community, she pushes herself outside her comfort zone, and she takes pride in everything she pursues. Her hobbies include video production, painting, and gardening. This summer Annette has been working for Tiny Mighty and Strong as a Community Outreach liaison, continuing her community involvement. After high school Annette plans to major in Agricultural Business. Living in Tulelake has given Annette the opportunity to get to know about agriculture and embrace the businesses that founded her community. FFA has played a major role in her interest in agriculture and inspires her to continue her agricultural education.