Life

Apple Ambassador eager to represent industry

Emily Holbert

By , Published: May 31, 2014

Emily Rachel Holbert, who was named the 2014 Apple Ambassador by the North Carolina Apple Festival last week, says she looks forward to representing the apple industry.

A rising senior at East Henderson High and the daughter of Joseph and Lisa Holbert, Emily was selected among high school students who competed for the title and a $2,000 college scholarship.

"It's such an honor and I'm so excited to represent Henderson County apple harvest," Holbert said. "It's just truly such an honor."

Throughout the year, Holbert will represent the Apple Festival at events across the region.

"I really look forward to cutting the ribbon at the fair," Holbert said. "Also, I look forward to declaring September as apple month for the state of North Carolina. [That's] really exciting too."

Coming from a long line of apple farmers, Holbert's grandfather, Willis Holbert, owned an apple farm in Saluda where her father, Joseph, worked growing up. Emily's uncle, Phil Holbert, currently owns Holbert Bee Supply in Saluda.

"It's so neat that the [apple community is] all so interconnected," Holbert said. "Then the Apple Festival is just the result of them all coming together and their hard work and their labor is being celebrated through us getting to enjoy their apples."
First runner-up CayCee Nicole Justus, a rising senior at North Henderson High School and the daughter of Tim and Diane Justus, will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship.
The other representatives are Natasha Townsend and Kathlene Beam from Hendersonville High School, Kristen Carter from East Henderson High School, Ellie Caldwell from North Henderson High School and Christine Carpenter and Jessica Parce from West Henderson High School.