Elkhart County 4-H Fair Crowns Shank
Published: Friday, July 31, 2026
The Elkhart County 4-H Fair kicked off last Friday with the crowning of two queens. Olivia Shank, a member of the Elkhart County 4-H Camera Corps, was chosen from a field of 36 candidates to be the 2026 fair queen, and Deb Pepple, a retired educator, was selected as the senior queen.
Shank found some irony in the fact that, as a photographer, she is used to taking photos rather than being the subject of those photos.
"It feels really weird," she said minutes after being crowned. "I was in camera corps for 10 years, so being on this side is different, but I love it."
The 18-year-old is a 10-year 4-H'er and a 2026 homeschool graduate. She currently works as the food distribution manager at a family-owned vending machine business in Elkhart. She plans to continue working at that business while studying to become a realtor.
She is the daughter of Phillip and Dara Shank of Elkhart.
"I'm excited for a great fair week," she said. "I've been involved in this fair ever since I was little, and I'm so glad to be fair queen."
Members of the queen's court were: Paige Truman, Bremen, first runnerup; Isabelle Bailey, Bristol, second runnerup; Natalee Lambright, Syracuse, third runnerup; and Emma Bowling, New Paris, fourth runnerup. Miss Congeniality was Riley Kitson of Milford.
Earlier, Deb Pepple of Elkhart won the title of senior fair queen. She was a 4-H leader for 26 years and taught elementary school for Baugo Community Schools for 40 years. She is a big supporter of Purdue Extension, twice serving as director of Home and Family Arts during the county fair. She has also served as president of the Elkhart County Extension Homemakers Assn.
Nine candidates were in the running for the senior crown. First runnersup was Roseanne Markham of Goshen, who also received the Ginny Nichols 4-H Award. Second runnerup was Patricia Hochstetler of Goshen, who was also named Miss Congeniality.
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