The Miss Rowan County Veteran competition will be held during Faith Fourth of July activities.
The crowning will be after the parade on the Fourth in the American Legion Park on the bandstand.
Contestants are:

• Chelsea Shane Box, representing AMVETS Post 565. She is the daughter of Shane and Christy Box of China Grove and a rising junior at South Rowan High School. She enjoys horseback riding. She plans to work in the medical field as a radiologist. She is a member of FFA and the Anima Club, where she tests her artistic skills. Her father is a U.S. Army Veteran.
She enjoys art and works at Goodman’s Farm Supply.
• Kaitlin Rose Crouch, representing American Legion Post 448. She is the daughter of Richard and Linda Crouch of Rockwell and an honors graduate of East Rowan High School. She is an N.C. Scholar and earned the National Honor Society scholarship.
She plans to attend Western Carolina University to study graphic design and marketing. At East, she was in the National Honor Society, Junior Civitan, Sigma Phi Gamma, Art Club, Spanish Club and National Arts Honor Society.
She was Miss Poppy in 2007 and a member of the East Rowan Mustang Regiment, visiting the VA Medical Center. She is a member of Christiana Lutheran Church and is head youth services director. She has earned many awards and volunteers for Rowan Helping Ministries and others.
• Amber Rea Ingraham, representing the Marine Corps League 1096. A rising senior at Catawba College, she is the daughter of Bill Ingraham and Angie Millspaugh. She is a biology major who plans to attend nursing school to become a pediatric nurse.
She is a Delphi historian, secretary of the Republican Club and a member of Tri Beta science honor society. She enjoys mission work and helped build an orphanage in Mexico. She is involved in the Inn, a Christian outreach ministry.
• Zahra Celeste Khan, representing American Legion Post 46. A 2013 graduate of Jesse C. Carson High School, her guardians are Allen and Barbara Welter. She ranked fourth in her class and was an All-County Scholar. She will attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for aerospace engineering. In high school she was in the National Honor Society, Drama Club and the National Thespian Honors Society.
She was a member of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office Explorers. A pilot with 195 flight hours, she is a member of EAA, Women in Aviation. AOPA. She attended Girls State and is a member of Homestead Baptist Church.
• Amanda Nicole McClure, representing Vanhoy-Sells VFW Post 9134. A rising senior at Pfeiffer University, she is the daughter of Sharon Carter and Ron McClure. She is a psychology major who plans to attend graduate school. She is a member of Commuters Club and enjoys taking photos of nature.
• Makayla Cinnamon Moore, representing AMVETS Post 845. She is a 2013 graduate of South Rowan High School, where she was third in her class. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Art Club, Bible Club, FCCLA, Junior Civitan, student council, Relay for Life and Young Life.
She will seek an environmental science degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a community service volunteer and a member of the youth group at First Baptist Church, China Grove. She has worked at Chick-fil-A for more than two years.
• Stephanie Nicole Pyle, representing Harold B. Jarrett Post 342. A graduate of West Rowan High School, she was in the top 10 percent of her class. She plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for pre-med, then go to graduate school to become an anesthesiologist. She is the daughter of Julie and Jim Pyle.
She has participated in Relay for Life and is a member of Junior Civitan, NSHSS, National Honor Society, Math Club, Bible Club, Latin Club and the Junior Classical League. She attended mission trips to Honduras and New Mexico and has volunteered at the homeless shelter.
• Amy Nachette Shank, representing Faith American Legion Post 327. A 2013 honors graduate of East Rowan High School, she is the daughter of Charles and Barbara Shank of Salisbury. She participated in soccer all four years and varsity and competition cheerleading. She was in the top 10 of her class and a member of the National Honor Society. She was an All-County Scholar, a Civitan Scholar, ERHS Presidential Scholar and Rowan County Presidential Scholar. She will attend North Carolina State University to study aerospace engineering.
She was a member and officer of the student council, a member of the homecoming court, in Junior Civitan, Drafting Club and a SASI/Dream Team member. She is active at Christiana Lutheran Church and participates in community service such as Rowan Helping Ministries, Battered Women’s Shelter and Pregnancy Support Center.
• Caroline Grace Shimmel, representing the Forty & Eight. A rising junior at A.L. Brown High School, she is the daughter of Cindy Shimmel of Kannapolis. She earned all-conference and all-regional in track and field and plays soccer and is a cheerleader. She is in the honors curriculum at A.L. Brown.
She plans to attend New York University and major in drama. She is involved in the K-Town Crew Spirit Club, the Dance Company, Knitting Club and Young Life. She volunteers with Special Olympics and the special education students at her school.
• Cierra Sifford, representing J.C. Price Post 107. A rising senior at North Rowan High School, she is the daughter of Christopher Sifford and Shirley Harshaw. She is involved in cheerleading and soccer and has a 4.0 GPA. She is in the National Honor Society, Key Club, Junior Civitan and YMCA Black Achievers. She plans to attend college after graduation. She was chosen to attend Project Uplift at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Heather Lynn Sperling, representing American Legion Post 185. A rising junior at South Rowan High School, she is the daughter of Toni Driver and Brad Sperling. She is involved in the chorus and FFA and plans to attend college after graduating.
• Erin Michelle Turner, representing Kennedy-Hall American Legion Post 106. A rising junior at West Rowan High School, she is the daughter of Todd Turner and Angie Clark of Cleveland. She is a member of the junior varsity softball team and National Honor Society. She plans to pursue a degree to become a nurse anesthetist.
She is a member of the post’s Junior Auxiliary and visits veterans at the State Veteran’s Home, as well as participating in other volunteer activities. She is active with Relay for Life and works at Subway in Cleveland.