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Mt. Pleasant students grow through service at Old Threshers Reunion
Miss Sweet 16 contestants from MPCHS share the impact of volunteering at Midwest Old Threshers
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MT. PLEASANT — For students at Mt. Pleasant High School, volunteering at the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion was about more than helping with a beloved local tradition. It was an opportunity to grow as individuals while representing their community and school district.
The Sweet Sixteen program, part of the five-day festival, invites 16-year-olds to serve as hostesses and volunteers across the reunion grounds. Students greet visitors, assist with activities and bring energy to an event that drew tens of thousands of people to McMillan Park over Labor Day weekend.
Contestants shared with the Mt. Pleasant Community School District Board about their experiences with this program at the Sept. 8 school board meeting.
For many of the young women, the highlight was the connections they formed.
“My favorite thing … was just getting to meet everyone,” Linzy Striegel said. “There are so many people that come here for any reason. It’s fun to see whatever reason they have to come and talk to them and get to know their experiences.”
Jolynn Martin agreed, saying the relationships she built while volunteering left a lasting impression.
“My favorite thing from Old Threshers was the volunteering and meeting new people and just learning more about it,” she said.
Jacie Campbell, the 2024 Midwest Old Threshers Miss Sweet, shared her excitement to see contestants volunteering at the Drive a Tractor station this year.
“A lot of them were like, I don’t know how to drive a tractor,” Campbell said during the Reunion. “I told them they were going to learn.”
And they did.
Others focused on how the reunion helped them step out of their comfort zones and gain confidence.
“I had a really good experience this year,” said Lauryn Willham, the 2025 Miss Sweet Sixteen winner. “I learned how to become more social and talk to everybody with more confidence.”
Her classmate and 2025 Miss Sweet Sixteen runner-up, Naomi English, echoed that sense of personal growth.
“I was glad I got to grow myself as a person and my confidence,” she said.
Still others found the hands-on work to be the most rewarding part of the long weekend.
“One of my favorite things was just volunteering at all the new places … that was a lot of fun with all the little kids,” said Peyton Syfert, who also spent time helping with tractors.
Her sister Emerson added that what she valued most was the chance to connect with new faces across the grounds. She said her favorite part was “meeting new people” while volunteering.
The time commitment was significant. When asked about their schedules, Emerson told the board the commonly spent 12 hour days at the Reunion.
Board leaders said the effort reflected well on both the students and the school district.
“You’re great ambassadors for us, thank you,” board member Melinda Huisinga said.
Board President Angie Blint pointed to the district’s Portrait of a Panther initiative, which emphasizes skills such as collaboration, responsibility and leadership.
“There are so many attributes and competencies that you guys demonstrate as volunteers and representatives of Mt. Pleasant and that district. Thank you a lot,” she said.
Superintendent John Henriksen also praised the students.
“You guys are amazing. You’re fantastic representatives of our community and our school district. Thanks for taking the time to do that,” he said.
The Old Threshers Reunion, first held in 1950, has grown into one of Iowa’s largest heritage events, featuring steam engines, antique tractors, trolley rides, parades and live music. This year, 1,364 individuals contributed more than 42,000 volunteer hours. Students in the Sweet Sixteen program were a visible part of that effort, tying personal growth to community pride.
As Willham summed it up, the reunion offered more than service hours. It gave her a chance to better understand herself.
“I just got to find myself a little bit more,” she said. “So, that was fun.”
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
