Natalie Couse

Ariana Schieferle

Alexis Van Why

Charlize Virto

Ellie Zielsdorf

CONTESTANT 1 – Natalie Couse
Natalie is currently a sophomore at Fillmore high school. This past season was her first year on the FHS swim team and because of the great experience she plans to join again next year. She has been a member of ASB since 4th grade, and has served as treasurer for the past two years.

Natalie takes pride in her academics. She has obtained over a 4.0 throughout her freshman and sophomore year in high school. She has been a member of the Fillmore flashes pep squad for her two years in high school and is currently on the varsity squad for the upcoming year.

Natalie has been a supportive member of Relay for Life and is currently on the planning committee for the Fillmore-Piru event. One of Natalie's favorite things to do, is go to concerts. Some of her favorite bands include red hot chili peppers and sublime.

After she graduates high school, she plans to join the Air Force and aspires to attend the Air Force Academy. While serving she plans on continuing her education to become an aeronautical engineer or a pilot.
 
CONTESTANT 2 – Ariana Schieferle
Ari is currently a Sophomore at Fillmore High school. Not only is she involved with athletics at Fillmore High, but she is also Secretary of the Marine Bio and Interact Clubs, and the Sophomore Class President. Ari takes great pride in her Academics, maintaining above a 4.0 for both years at high school.

After graduation, Ari hopes to attend either Stanford or UCLA and major in Forensic Science. With her degree, she aspires to venture into the science and detective side of the criminal justice field, where she can work to ensure justice for all those who have been victimized.

Outside of school, Ari takes part on the committee of the Fillmore/Piru Relay for Life and is an active member of her church. Ari also likes to draw sketches of people and things that surround her, and hopes to work to make art one of her talents.

Ari loves to talk, is energetic, and goofy. To relax she spends hours in her room sketching and listening to many different types of music. She loves classical books, her favorite being the Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger and has taken a new love to short stories.

 
CONTESTANT 3 – Alexis Van Why
Alexis Van Why is a sophomore at Fillmore High school. She is currently on the Varsity swim team, Varsity pep squad, mock trials, Future Farmers of America, scrap booking club, and marine biology club. Alexis is currently in honors and AP classes and with hard work and perseverance maintains a 4.2 GPA. Alexis plans on going to law school and becoming and attorney. She interned over the summer for the Santa Barbara District Attorney's office and was on the mock trials team for school.

Alexis loves the outdoors and enjoys working with her pig for numerous hours a day teaching it to do 360's and figure 8's. His name is Diesel, only because he will be big enough to burn diesel.

Alexis started her own charity in 2016 called Paying it Forward. She wanted to make a difference in her community and people’s lives. The community of Fillmore really came together by donating two truck loads of can goods, clothes for all ages, and baby items to the Salvation Army and transitional living shelter. Alexis enjoys being a positive roll model for all girls and does a great deal of volunteering in the community of Fillmore.  

CONTESTANT 4 – Charlize Virto
Charlize was born in Ventura and grew up in Fillmore. She is currently a sophomore at Fillmore High School and a member of the Varsity Pep Squad. Charlize has been cheering since she was 6 years old. Throughout her years of cheering she has participated in competition cheer and is proud to say she is a 3x national champion and a 2x grand champion.

In her free time, Charlize volunteers with the Fillmore Bears Cheer Youth Organization. She loves working with the youth of the community and passing on her cheer knowledge to the next generation. She has been volunteering with them for the past 2 years and plans to continue until she graduates from high school.

FFA is one of the many things Charlize has a strong passion for and enjoys. She is a current member of the Fillmore FFA, and is currently raising a market swine to take to the Ventura County Fair this summer.

In the future Charlize aspires to attend a four-year university; majoring in Animal Science. She hopes to take her love of animals and become a veterinarian. Until then she enjoys going to amusement parks with her friends.
 
CONTESTANT 5 – Ellie Zielsdorf
Ellie is a freshman at Fillmore High School where she is a Flashes cheerleader and ASB Freshman class secretary. She has been a cheerleader for the past 5 years, involved with ASB for 4 years, 7 year member of the girl scouts, and played the clarinet in the school band for 2 years. She has been on the Honor Roll for the last 6 years.
Ellie has a passion for baking and even started her own little cupcake business called “You had me at cupcake”. Ellie loves working with hair and makeup and plans to open her own business someday after attending college and obtaining a business degree.
Anyone who knows Ellie knows she is obsessed with her Boston Terrier dog “Buddy” who she loves unconditionally. In fact she has an instagram account for him that you all can follow @buddy_the_boston. Ellie loves her family’s “Zielsdorf Tacos”, enjoys watching “Fixer Upper” with her dad, and jamming out to music in the car with her sister Emma.
Ellie’s inspiration and role model is her big sister Emma for how smart, kind and gracious she is. Ellie’s family says the quote that best describes her is “ Big things come in small packages!”