From Berks County Dairy Promotion Program
Pictured above, from left to right: Sarah Wetzel, 2026-27 Berks County Alternate Dairy Princess; Jordie Kelchner, 2026-27 Berks County Lil’ Miss Dairy Princess; and Maya Bicksler, 2026-27 Berks County Dairy Princess.
The 2026-27 Berks County Dairy Princess Pageant was held on Saturday, May 2, at the Mohrsville Church of the Brethren. This year, the Berks County dairy industry will be well-represented with Maya Bicksler as the Berks County Dairy Princess, Sarah Wetzel as the Berks County Alternate Dairy Princess, and Jordie Kelchner as the Berks County Lil’ Miss.
Maya is the daughter of Jonathan and Tiffany Bicksler. She has three younger siblings, Brooke, Elijah, and A’meya. Maya currently works at Fantasyland Holsteins, where she helps with milking, feeding, and cow care. Maya graduated from Tulpehocken High School in 2023 and Lakeshore College with a dairy herd management and dairy business degree. She was involved in the Tulpehocken FFA and the Western Berks 4-H Dairy Club and is currently involved with the Berks County Junior Holstein Club.
Sarah is the daughter of Steven and Shannon Wetzel. She has four other siblings, Nick, Brooke, Adrianna, and Brittany. She is employed at Shaynah Kee Dairy Farm, where she helps with milking, calf care, and whatever needs to be done on the farm. Sarah is finishing her sophomore year at Brandywine Heights High School. She is involved in the Brandywine FFA program and is currently serving as the Vice President.
Jordie is the 6-year-old daughter of Mitchell and Kate Kelchner. She has three siblings, Annie, Janie, and Bradie. Jordie enjoys being on her family’s farm and enjoys all of the animals. She is finishing Kindergarten at Oley Elementary. Jordie will be serving her second year as the Berks County Lil’ Miss and is looking forward to participating in more promotions.
During the pageant, the girls presented a speech and their skits to those in attendance. Maya did a speech on “From Calf to Cow,” and her skit was the next episode on the show Bluey. It was called the “Magic in Milk at Miss Calypso’s Market.” Sarah’s speech was on “Management Strategies for Farmers and the Economy.” Her skit was about a time capsule her Grandpa James left in 1870 and compared dairy farming in 1870 to today’s dairy farming.
Another portion of the pageant, both girls had to answer an impromptu question, “98% of the US population has little to no direct connection to production agriculture. As the Berks County Dairy Princess, how would you reach out to that 98% to bridge the gap and build a stronger connection to the industry?” Sarah answered with not only getting into the elementary schools, but also getting into the high schools. She also mentioned reaching out to senior centers because all age groups need to be reached to bridge the gap. Maya answered with bridging the gap by starting in the schools. Teach the kids, and they will go home and talk with their parents. Maya also said to include social media to bridge the gap.
The Berks County Dairy Princess Promotion Committee would like to thank Brinley Hess, 2025-26 Berks County Dairy Princess; Rebecca Berger, Kayla Kehl, and Lucy Kerr, 2025-26 Berks County Alternate Dairy Princesses; and Jordie Kelchner, 2025-26 Berks County Lil’ Miss Dairy Princess, for a wonderful job of promoting and representing the Berks County dairy industry this past year. They spent countless hours at local events from stores to farms, parades, schools, and many other places in between, talking to the public about the importance of dairy products in your diet, as well as how important the dairy farms are here in Berks County.
Emcee for the pageant was Jennifer Grimes, a former Berks County and Pennsylvania State Dairy Princess.
Contact Mikayla Orr at 484-388-0348 or mikayla2329@gmail.com to book the Dairy Princess to come to your events.
