THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996 TAG: 9610020153
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 95 lines
FOR THE NEXT several days, Kimberly April Judson will reign royally in Suffolk.
Wearing a tea-length, ``royal blue'' dress, Kimberly will be introduced today as queen of Suffolk's Peanut Fest.
Patrick O'Malley, director of operations at Planters Company, will place a crown upon her head and announce the official opening of Peanut Fest during the Queen's Luncheon at noon at the National Guard Armory. Five seniors from the city's three high schools will debut as princesses in her court.
The luncheon will herald the beginning of a week of whirlwind activities for Kimberly and her court. A police escort will travel with the girls and their chaperones to special events throughout the festival.
On Saturday, Kimberly and her entourage will attend a pre-parade reception at Crestar Bank and then participate in the Peanut Fest Parade at 10 a.m. in downtown Suffolk.
At 5 p.m., ``we'll cheer and encourage'' runners in a 5-K race, Kimberly said. ``I'm looking forward to what's to come.''
On Wednesday, Kimberly's schedule includes the 7 a.m. Prayer Breakfast at the Holiday Inn. On Oct. 10, she will attend the Shrimp Feast at the Peanut Fest site at Suffolk Airport.
On Oct. 11 and 12, the queen and princesses will spend two full days at the Peanut Fest site. They will attend closing ceremonies on Oct. 13.
Friday, the girls will help with activities during Kids' Day, greet visitors and entertain at the senior citizens' tent, said Sarah Leigh Jones, chairman of the Queen and Court. Then on Saturday, they will participate in the Peanut Butter Sculpture Contest and judge and present awards for concessions, commercial tents and arts and crafts.
The selection process for the queen and princesses began several months ago, Jones said. Each year, area high schools choose two young ladies to participate in the next year's Peanut Fest as members of the Queen and Court. The principals and the English teachers choose representatives from Nansemond River and Lakeland high schools and the junior of the Homecoming Court and her runner-up serve from N-SA. The school's selections are based on grades, leadership ability, and a written essay based on the theme of this year's festival ``Volunteers: America At Its Best.''
A senior at Nansemond Suffolk Academy, Kimberly is the daughter of Dr. Preston L. and Carol Judson. She has two older brothers, Corey Judson of Fort Sill, Okla., and Dustin Judson of Virginia Beach.
Statuesque and poised, Kimberly is in her fourth year of French studies at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy and says it is her favorite subject.
``I took a school trip to Paris in the 10th grade, and I'm going again next spring,'' she said. ``I loved learning the culture and communicating with the French people. I found them to be very friendly, especially when they sense that you're trying to learn their culture. I'm looking forward to going back. I want to see the Louvre again . . . it's so immense.''
During the academy's spring break, Kimberly said the group will visit Paris and northern Brittany before traveling to the French Riviera.
Kimberly, who always has her camera close at hand, has visited several countries with her family.
``Three years ago, we took one of the most remarkable trips to the Middle East . . . Egypt, Israel, Greece and Turkey,'' she said.
Last year, the family's destination was the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. And on a recent visit to Cancun, Mexico, Kimberly and her father received their scuba-diving certification.
This past summer, which was an unusually busy time for Kimberly, she traveled west to Montana, the Grand Tetons of Wyoming, and to California to visit her grandparents. She also attended both Girls' State at Longwood College and the Daniel Fox Youth Scholars Program at Lebanon Valley College for an intensive study of French culture and language.
``It was a great experience,'' she said. ``We ate lots of French breakfasts.''
At the academy, Kimberly is a member of the Student Council Organization and the Values Committee, which meets to discuss speakers and projects for the school year. She also is a member of the International Club, which meets four times a year.
``It's a fun club,'' she said. ``We carve our own pumpkins at Halloween, make Christmas ornaments, celebrate Mardi Gras, and put on a production each year and do French skits.''
Talented in both horseback riding and dance, Kimberly has taken classes in tap, jazz, ballet and pointe since the age of 5.
For the past six years, the Judson family has lived on a part of Shiloh Farms on Cherry Grove Road North.
``I can ride my Appaloosa, `Nakoma,' around our house,'' said Kimberly, who has won several ribbons in horse shows. ``Now I try to ride every weekend.''
This fall, Kimberly plans to apply to Mary Washington College, the College of William and Mary, and George Mason University.
She wants to major in French. ``In the future,'' she said, ``I want to use my language skills in dealing with international relations.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Peanut Fest Queen Kimberly Judson will ride in the parade Saturday.
The Peanut Fest court, front row, left to right, Anna Felton of
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, Cherri Phillips of Lakeland High School,
Tracy Holland of Nansemond River High School; back row, Meredith
Darden of Lakeland High School and April Sauer of Nansemond River
High School. by CNB