Teen Crowned Maryland Yacht Club Princess

Kailey Schissler was crowned the 2021-2022 Maryland Yacht Club princess at the end of August after serving as junior princess since 2019.

The princess program is a demanding student ambassador role, which requires time and personal sacrifice, fostering the development of life skills in speech writing, public speaking, fundraising, accounting, time management, relationship building, business etiquette, professional conduct, conflict resolution, and event planning and coordination.

During the August 29 coronation, Kailey was escorted by incoming Commodore Carl Treff. Later, the Queen of the Chesapeake, Ellie Hermann, crowned Kailey. There are now four new junior princesses: Mairead Nunes, Mariah Demerest, Kamryn Schissler, and Tatiana Marcic.

“Being crowned Maryland Yacht Club's princess provides me the opportunity to help others in a way I otherwise wouldn't be able to on my own,” Kailey said. “With the support of the yacht club community behind me, I've already been able to start, organize, and manage charity drives for our military and the MYC Junior Sailing program, and I'm planning more. As princess, I'm in a student ambassador role, learning and practicing public speaking and professional conduct as I support the many yacht clubs around the Chesapeake Bay by attending their events on behalf of Maryland Yacht Club.”

One of her most recent charitable endeavors was supporting Wounded Warriors on the Bay on August 21 by setting up and managing a donation drive at six locations across Anne Arundel County. She collected nearly 1,000 items including school supplies, toys, gifts, gift certificates, and the grand prize with the generosity of her community. Additionally, she was honored to thank and speak to a crowd of over 200 heroes and guests, including 58 wounded warriors and their families, four Gold Star families and mothers, eight Vietnam veterans, the Queen of the Chesapeake, 51 boats’ captains and mates, and 11 yacht clubs.

A Chesapeake High School student, Kailey is on the superintendent’s honor roll and has raised money for Special Olympics Maryland as a member of Chesapeake’s National Junior Honor Society. When she reaches the eligible age, she plans to apply for the National Honor Society as well as for the National Security Agency’s (NSA) high school work study program or a medical internship.

Kailey is also a member of the Cougars varsity soccer team, the junior varsity lacrosse team, Chesapeake’s dance program and the school orchestra. Outside of high school, she is a member of the Pasadena Soccer Club’s travel elite development program, a dancer with the Creative Force Dance Center, and she enjoys golfing with the Compass Pointe Golf Course golf camp. A violinist since the third grade, Kailey also plays piano, guitar, ukulele, and has tried the clarinet and cello.

She loves to travel. In addition to spots around the U.S., she has traveled to Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, France, Germany, Switzerland and Japan. And, of course, she loves boating.

“One thing I’ve learned here at MYC over my past two years as junior princess is that learning to sail isn’t just fun for adults!” she said. “I learned to sail my very own sailboat. The MYC Junior Sailing program helped me develop independence, confidence and teamwork, which is why I’ve chosen Junior Sailing as my charity to help other kids do the same, and my goal is to collect enough donations to buy several more O’pen skiffs.”