By: Nora Carroll

On February 16, 2025 the WV Strawberry Festival named a new queen, West Virginia Wesleyan College’s very own, Kourtney Jones. 

Jones is a rising star in the Wesleyan community! Jones began attending West Virginia Wesleyan in the spring of 2024. She is majoring in nursing, works as an EMT at the local hospital, and recently became an initiated sister of Alpha Xi Delta. 

Jones has been doing pageants since she was 14 years old. 

“I began doing pageants after I suffered from a severe injury in sports and was told by my orthopedist that I could no longer play sports, or I’d injure myself way worse,” Kourtney Jones said, “I always had an interest in pageantry, but felt I didn’t fit that description, as I was a sports girl.”

Her pageant platform is fighting for mental health support for first responders, which she is incredibly passionate about. 

“As someone who is a first responder and comes from a family of first responders, I see and deal with the struggles first hand,” Jones said, “I currently work with a group, in which we have four counties covered, and are working to all counties in West Virginia. We are also working in three other states.”

This is an issue that is not represented enough. “Suicide rates for first responders is extremely high nationwide and there is little to no resources for us to reach out for help,” Jones states. 

Jones has worked hard to be crowned the WV Strawberry Festival Queen. “My preparation for the pageant was many months long. I spent many hours working out, dieting, and lots of training with coaches on proper walking skills, interview skills, and other areas that we compete in,” Jones said.

“I was very excited and grateful for the opportunity I had just received. I had competed for three years and this meant a lot to myself and my family as Buckhannon is my home away from home and my mom’s hometown. I have attended every strawberry festival since I was a baby so having this opportunity means so much,” Jones exclaimed.

The road does not end here for Kourtney Jones. She will represent Buckhannon and the Strawberry Festival in May, after summer break begins. This will overlap with her competing for Miss West Virginia US, and in January for Miss WV Association of Fairs and Festivals,located in Charleston, depending on the outcome of Miss WV.

Photo by JBphoto