News

Haley Caroline Marshall named 2026 Apple Ambassador

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 6, 2026

Haley Caroline Marshall, a rising senior at East Henderson High School, has been named Apple Ambassador for the 2026 North Carolina Apple Festival. Marshall will attend all four days of the festival and will also represent the festival at the NC Mountain State Fair.

In addition to these responsibilities, the Apple Ambassador and first runner-up are awarded the Evelyn Lutz Hill Memorial Scholarship, which honors Hill’s longtime service to the North Carolina Apple Growers Association.

Haley is the daughter of Jason Marshall and the late Ashley Marshall. She will receive a $2,000 scholarship upon her graduation from high school in May 2026. She will also graduate with her Associate’s Degree from Blue Ridge Community College. Upon graduation, she plans to attend a four-year university to study Early Childhood Education.

“It is a true honor to be named the 2026 North Carolina Apple Festival Ambassador. I have always dreamed of being part of the Apple Ambassador float, and I remember riding on the Pat’s School of Dance float as a young dancer, which makes this moment even more special,” Marshall said. “Being able to go from that experience to now serving as Ambassador feels like a meaningful accomplishment, and I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity to represent our community.”

This year’s first runner-up is Brenlee Addison Rhodes, daughter of Teri and Brent Rhodes, a student at Hendersonville High School. She will receive a $1,500 scholarship and will also participate in events at this year’s festival.

Julie Ann Smithson of East Henderson High School; Olivia M. Bridges of Hendersonville High School; and Jacqueline Ramirez Guevara and Caitlyn Julieanne Murphy of North Henderson High School were also chosen to represent their schools for interviews and to join Marshall and Rhodes at the festival and on this year’s Apple Ambassador float.

The Apple Ambassador program is open annually to rising seniors in Henderson County. Applicants are required to submit transcripts, a list of activities, letters of recommendation, and an essay on the Apple Festival and the importance of the apple industry to the region. The Apple Ambassador is selected through this application process and an interview.

The 80th North Carolina Apple Festival, presented by AdventHealth, will take place Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4–7, in downtown Hendersonville and will celebrate eight decades of honoring apple growers and the agricultural heritage of Henderson County and beyond.