Allison Rice, 17, is running for Sportsman’s Holiday queen because she wants to be an advocate for “our wonderful community.”
Rice, 17, is one of six young women who are candidates to be queen of this year’s Sportsman’s Holiday festival, to be held July 11-13. The queen will be selected at a coronation banquet on July 10.
“I hoped to further my understanding of our historic town, meet new people and become a more knowledgeable young woman,” she said. “I believe making a difference begins with a great attitude. I hope to show people how great life can be if you just go at it with a smile.”
Rice is resourceful and creative, she said.
“I am a good representative of our community because I try my hardest at everything that I do, and I never stop trying to make things better.
“I want to become a successful individual and make something of myself. I believe that represents Sweet Home, in particular, because our town has always persevered so that it can become the beautiful little town that I am proud to call my home.”
Rice is an incoming senior at Sweet Home High School with a GPA of 3.6. She is the daughter of Douglas and Joyce Rice and has three siblings, Brooke Rice, 19; Hannah Rice, 11; and Joshua Rice, 9.
At school, she participated in class board as president last year and was a member of the junior class board. She played softball as a freshman and sophomore. She keeps stats for the wrestling team and attended the state meet this year. She also is a member of the National Honor Society.
She has helped coordinate Thanksgiving baskets for her leadership class. She recently went to Wiley Creek Community and served as part of her court activities. She also attended a peer court meeting with her aunt, Cindy Rice, and she has been involved with the Community Chapel youth group and attended Acquire the Fire and Battle Cry.
She loves to ride quads at the dunes in Florence and Coos Bay. She enjoys four-wheel drives, and she plays guitar and loves music. She enjoys spending time traveling and vacationing with her family.
She has been employed by Dairy Queen for almost a year and a half.
Her best friend, she said, “would say I can always make them smile. I love to make people laugh. They would tell you that I am a loyal and dedicated friend and that I am always there with a listening ear.”
The best thing about Sweet Home, she said, is the scenery and the activities brought by it.
“I love nothing more than to take a drive up logging roads with my dad and see our beautiful countryside, mountains, timber and cute animals,” she said. “I love that no matter if it is summer, fall, winter or spring, rain or shine, you will never be unsatisfied with the beauty you can find around our community.”
She said her mom and dad are her heroes.
“They are the hardest-working, responsible, loving people I will ever meet,” she said. “They have never settled for anything and they always strive to make life better for their family. They instilled good values and judgment in me, and I know that, that will carry me far in life.”
If she could live at any time in history, “I would want to live in the ’50s and ’60s because of the American culture at the time and all of the political controversies, like the civil rights movement,” she said. “I love history, and this, in my opinion, is the most interesting era to study history in. It would be great to actually live through it.”