Miss Ripley County: Onika Struewing

(BATESVILLE, Ind.) – Miss Ripley County’s 4-H experience has led her to become an active participant in the community.

Growing up on a goat farm in Batesville, Onika Struewing developed a strong interest in animals from a young age.

As a 10 year 4-H member, she participated in a variety of projects including showing goats and sheep. She didn’t begin showing sheep until 7th grade while many other members had been doing so since 3rd.

Despite encountering what felt like a setback, she quickly fell in love with sheep, especially the Oxford breed.

Following her high school graduation, Struewing still wished to stay an active participant in 4-H. She recalled how her leaders answered her questions, calmed her nerves, and taught her everything she needed to know about showing sheep and, because of how their impact shaped her, she too decided to become a Sheep Project Leader.

Struewing’s persistent drive to be more involved in her community led her to compete for and earn the Miss Ripley County title.

Her participation in 4-H has instilled the importance of hard work, accountability and responsibility, and relationship building in her and given her a sense of pride in her work. As Miss Ripley County, Struewing aspires to be a role model who exemplifies these skills for local kids.

Currently, Struewing is studying marketing at Ball State University with a minor in event planning. She is also a Marketing Intern for both Wood-Mizer in Batesville and the Decatur County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg.

These two vastly different internships along with her schooling have taught her valuable professional lessons about collaboration with both small and large scale companies, website building, social media management, and serving a community that she hopes to bring back to her county following her college graduation.

“I don’t think I imagine myself anywhere else but here because it’s just home to me, because of the people and the warmth that the area brings me,” Struewing said.

Struewing looks forward to her upcoming year as Miss Ripley County and hopes to have a continued impact in her community.

You can follow along with Onika by clicking here.