CAMP HILL, Pa. — A year of service devoted to the dairy industry is coming to an end for the three young ladies who comprise Pennsylvania’s State Royalty Team (SRT). The state dairy princesses reign as the top tier of the youth promotion network coordinated by Pennsylvania Dairy Princess & Promotion Services, Inc. (PDPPS).

A day’s work for a dairy princess involves traveling across the state, attending high-profile events, garnering media coverage, and meeting with consumers one-on-one. Many interactions involve children. Sometimes the days and weeks get long while personal sacrifices are made, but the desire and determination that inspires the heart of a dairy princess is a driving force that can’t be underestimated.

Over the past year the SRT has secured a vast amount of promotional value and opportunities as they used their title and postion to work on behalf of dairy farmers, consumers, and the many facets of the industry. As they bid farewell to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at the conclusion of the Dairy Princess Competition on Saturday, September 20th, the team members are sent off with much gratitude from the industry for their time and efforts.

The 2024-2025 Pennsylvania Dairy Princess is Charlotte Wallace from Berks County. Charlotte credits the Davis family and the Troutman family at Reu-Hel Farms for giving her the opportunities that led her to the top position of dairy promotion.

“We are bridging the gap between consumers and the farm, helping to provide a positive image for the dairy industry,” she said. Her year as Pennsylvania’s state dairy princess has helped her grow professionally and Charlotte expects to experience many more great opportunities as a result.

She has found the value of engaging with children during promotions. “If we can educate them now,” she said, “they will become smart and healthy consumers in the future.” Charlotte also sees the importance of integrating her role into cities and urban areas where agricultural connections are rarely made. “Being able to educate consumers who are not exposed to agriculture in the way I have been is extremely crucial to accomplishing our mission,” she reflected.

The 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show was a highlight of Charlotte’s year, garnering high-level attention and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the event. “It really gave me a new appreciation for the Farm Show!” she said.

Charlotte expresses gratefulness as her time as Pennsylvania’s dairy princess comes to an end. “Dairy promotion will always hold a special place in my heart. This journey has been truly amazing,” she shared.

For Alternate Dairy Princess Sadie Innerst of Perry County, her role has made her more well-rounded and she’s networked relationships that will help her in the future. She has seen the advantage of her role as a dairy princess to be vital when connecting with consumers in a meaningful way.

The personal time a dairy promoter spends with consumers is emphasized through Sadie’s favorite promotion tool: a spinner wheel. “Any promotion where you have the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with the consumers is very valuable,” she said. “The spinner wheel gets the attention of people of all ages.”

Even though Sadie’s time as dairy princess is coming to an end, she says she will always be a dairy advocate. She’s glad she was able to be on the SRT with Charlotte and Morgan and sees the trio as a team of advocates for years to come. Sadie is thankful for the support of her family and the PDPPS board members for helping her through the year. “I’d also like to thank the nearly 5000 dairy farmers for putting their trust in our team to promote the dairy industry,” she stated.

From Erie County, Alternate Dairy Princess Morgan Larson is also filled with gratitude for her experiences and the many people who have impacted her this year. Her family, especially her mother, Nicole, have been her best supporters. Her local promotion team helped her reach her goal of achieving the highest incentive level just a few months into her county reign. She’s also thankful to dairy farmer Jeff Hunter who she considers an inspiration and mentor.

The 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show was an opportunity for Morgan to make dairy connections in unconventional places like the horse arena. She recalls the SRT competing in the mucking contest at the Farm Show as being her most memorable. “It was such a fun mix of teamwork, friendly competition, and laughter!” she shared.

Morgan reflects that she sees the most impact in her role when she can reach people who have probably never stepped foot on a dairy farm. She cites one such promotion in her home town, an athletic obstacle course event called Barber Beast on the Bay. Her presence was felt by over 1700 people as she distributed chocolate milk to participants. “We were able to reach people where they are and it helps share dairy’s story with new audiences who might not otherwise think about it,” she said.

Morgan says her time on the SRT has shown her how to be intentional with relationships and to connect with people on a personal level. “I’ve been part of sports teams, but being on this team has taught me how to reach out, make a difference, be a voice for those who can’t always speak for themselves,” she said. Morgan credits the skills and opportunities she gained as a dairy princess for launching her professional career as a teacher.

She has used her role to create genuine connections, bridging the gap between farmers and consumers, sharing why milk’s story matters. “We are often the first face of the dairy industry that the public meets, creating a lasting impact on the future of dairy by inspiring trust, understanding and pride in our farmers,” she said.

As this SRT prepares to pass their roles to a new set of dairy royalty, Charlotte, Sadie,and Morgan would like to encourage more girls to enter dairy promotion to reap the same benefits as they’ve experienced. “If you have a passion for dairy, share it with everyone you can,” Charlotte encouraged. “Your smile is your best asset.”

Sadie wants girls to know dairy promotion is for them, whether they grew up on a dairy farm or not. “If you are willing to learn and share your knowledge, then you can make meaningful connections with consumers,” she said.

“Be yourself and try something new,” shares Morgan. “You’ll never know where this journey might lead or how much you’ll grow until you take that leap. Dairy promotion opens doors, builds confidence, and creates lifelong friendships.”

The 69th Pennsylvania Dairy Princess coronation will be held on Saturday, September 20, at the Best Western Premier in Harrisburg. Meal tickets are no longer available but the competition is open to the public at no cost, starting a 2:30 pm. Live and silent auctions are planned between the meal and the main event to benefit the program. The coronation portion of the competition will be live-streamed and then archived on the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess and Promotion Services Facebook page.