Scarlett Heffner and Mikayla Derr named Alternates; many Dairy Misses also introduced

TIMONIUM, Md. – Eastern Shore Dairy Princess Caroline Winterstein was named Maryland Dairy Princess at a pageant held here on September 4th during the Maryland State Fair. She is the daughter of Will and Beth Winterstein of Sudlersville. A graduate of Queen Anne’s County High School, the new dairy princess is a freshman at the University of Maryland majoring in agricultural and resource economics.

Hailing from Queen Anne’s County, she was one of three regional dairy princesses vying for the title. She will now represent the state’s dairy farmers and promote Maryland’s official beverage during the coming year at fairs, schools, grocery stores, special events and more, sharing the dairy story about milk, dairy products and the dairy industry. She also won the Best Presentation Award during the three-day competition.

Scarlett Heffner of Baltimore County, representing the Upper Chesapeake Region, was named First Alternate while also  receiving the Best Milk Toast honor.

Mikayla Derr of Carroll County received the Second Alternate title.

“Maryland’s dairy industry is lucky to have this dynamic team to promote their product and way of life,” said Susan Summers, president of the Maryland Dairy Princess Association. “They are trained, professional spokespersons serving as ambassadors throughout the state and will work with our excellent team of younger promoters, Dairy Misses, to celebrate our hard-working dairy farmers and the nutritional products they supply for us all.”

The 2025-26 Maryland Dairy Princess Leah Spurrier crowned her successor after a three-day competition filled with interviews, presentations, and promotions. Leah received the state’s top Incentive Award with over 100 appearances. Outgoing Alternate Maryland Dairy Princess Madison Thomas received the Level 1 Incentive Award and won the outstanding scrapbook honor. Outgoing regional princess Tristan Kiser of Carroll County was recognized as well.

Caroline juggles a busy schedule of working at Winterstein Farms and Sugar Doodle’s Sweet Shop Ice Cream Parlor. She has served as president of the Sudlersville Super Stars 4-H Club and is a member of Farm Bureau and the Maryland Holstein Association. She was a Maryland General Assembly Page this past Spring, was a communications officer for the Red Cross and was a member of Young Life.  In addition, she was a youth tour delegate for Choptank Electric Cooperative.

The new First State Alternate, Scarlett Heffner, is the daughter of Stephen and Mary Heffner. She has an extensive 4-H and FFA leadership background leading her to pursue political science at Notre Dame of Maryland University. She has served as Maryland FFA state secretary and Baltimore County Farm Bureau ambassador. She has also received her chapter and state FFA degrees and will receive the prestigious American FFA Degree this fall. Scarlett’s work and dairy experience started at The Farmyard, a hands-on educational farm, then taking on the task as an agricultural student teacher, meat market cashier and construction office manager, all while helping lead the Wilson Dairy Leasing Program.

Second State Alternate Mikayla Derr is the daughter of Dustin and Angie Derr. She is an accomplished dairy cattle fitter, showman and judge, participating in both 4-H and FFA youth development programs. In addition to building her herd and working with calves at Coldsprings Farm, she finds time to foster animals for the Humane Society of Carroll County.

A junior at Francis Scott Key High School, Mikayla is active in the FFA chapter and Student Government Association. She serves as president of the Carroll County 4-H Dairy Club and was a Dairy Miss for three years before winning the princess title. Among her numerous honors, Mikayla was a finalist for the Hellenbrand Lasting Legacy Scholarship Award.

Introduced during the contest were a host of Dairy Misses representing all seven regions of the state. The Dairy Miss program prepares future princesses and provides promotional opportunities for younger dairy enthusiasts between the ages of 9 and 15 years old. Holding those titles are Faith Hauser of Allegany-Garrett Region; Carmella Brower, Oaklyn Christman, Peyton Krstanovic, Delaney Smith, Blake Stambaugh, Chandler Storey and Lucy Sutton of Carroll County; Annette Clougherty, Emma Hutchison and Margrit Mason of the Eastern Shore Region; Sophia Guyton, Kiley Little, Bailey Myers and Abigail Shriner of Frederick County; Ellie Chelette, Selah Honkofsky, Charlee Lewis, Gemma Lewis, Olivia Rhodes and Reese Rhodes of the South Central Region; Josie Brooks, Virginia Brooks, Ashlyn Knott, Lillian Long, Mackenzie Long, Rosemary Quinteros, Leila Roland, Harper Rutledge and Abigail Stewart of the Upper Chesapeake Region; and Alyssa Dorsey of Washington County.

Judging the annual contest were Robert Fogle of Raleigh, N.C.; Brittany Snyder of Mohrsville, Pa.; and Tony Rice of Arlington, Va. Denny Remsburg of Jefferson served as emcee.

ADA North East supports the Maryland Dairy Princess program with funding, training and promotional resources through dairy checkoff.

“The nearly 300 Maryland dairy farmers will be represented well with these three promoters,” said ADA North East CEO John Chrisman. “We also thank the outgoing state team for their year of service and recognize that we are so fortunate to have ambitious young people who are committed to engaging consumers at the grassroots level with positive dairy messages.”

The 2025-2026 Maryland Dairy Princess Leah Spurrier was recognized for making more than 100 promotional appearances and Alternate Dairy Princess Madison Thomas earned the outstanding scrapbook honor.

The contest can be viewed on the Maryland Dairy Princess Association Facebook page.