Several young women with ties to the Tri-Lakes Edition coverage area will compete in the 77th annual Miss Arkansas Pageant on Monday through Saturday at Summit Arena in Hot Springs. Contestants will arrive today.
Preliminary competitions will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the final competition and crowning set for 7 p.m. Saturday.
Preliminary awards will be made Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in artistic expression (talent), lifestyle and fitness (swimsuit), and presence and poise (evening gown).
Area contestants include the following:
• Miss Central Arkansas — Brooke Cornelius of Hope, the 20-year-old daughter of Chad Cornelius and Robyn Cornelius, will present a tap dance for her talent. Her platform is Protect Our Youth: Bullying is Not OK.
A sophomore accounting major at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, she will compete in interview on Tuesday, lifestyle and fitness on Wednesday, presence and poise on Thursday and artistic expression on Friday.
• Miss Diamond Lakes —Lauren Howell of Conway, the 24-year-old daughter of Dr. John and Debra Howell, will present a tap dance for her talent. Her platform is Giving Children Hope Through a Smile.
A 2013 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway with a degree in family and consumer science, she will compete in interview on Tuesday, presence and poise on Wednesday, artistic expression on Thursday and lifestyle and fitness on Friday.
• Miss Frisco Springs — Samantha Hudon of Hot Springs, the 22-year-old daughter of Jon and Marsha Moses, will present a vocal selection for her talent, and her platform is Get Up! Get Moving.
A senior broadcast journalism major at UCA, she will compete in interview on Tuesday, lifestyle and fitness on Wednesday, presence and poise on Thursday and artistic expression on Friday.
• Miss Greater Hot Springs — MaryLacey Thomson of Hot Springs, the 21-year-old daughter of Dean and Kimberly Thomson, will present a vocal selection for her talent, and her platform is No Kid Hungry.
A 2014 graduate of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia with a degree in musical theater with an emphasis in vocal performance and a minor in business administration, she will compete in interview on Monday, artistic expression on Wednesday, lifestyle and fitness on Thursday and presence and poise on Friday.
• Miss Henderson State University —Brittney Humphrey of Fordyce, the 21-year-old daughter of Tammy Harper and Dewey Humphrey, will perform a contemporary dance for her talent. Her platform is Break the Silence: Child-Sexual-Abuse Prevention.
A junior human-services major at Henderson State, she will compete in interview on Tuesday, lifestyle and fitness on Wednesday, presence and poise on Thursday and artistic expression on Friday.
• Miss Ouachita Baptist University — Abby Lindsey of Van Buren, the 21-year-old daughter of Kenny and Sherri Lindsey, will present a vocal selection for her talent, and her platform is Social Network Safety.
A junior business management major at OBU, she will compete in interview on Tuesday, artistic expression on Wednesday, artistic expression on Thursday and lifestyle and fitness on Friday.
• Miss South Central Arkansas — Stoni Butler of Camden, the 20-year-old daughter of Jeff and Sherri Steelman, will present a tap dance for her talent. Her platform is Reaching Higher With Higher Education.
A junior psychology major at OBU, she will compete in interview on Tuesday, lifestyle and fitness on Wednesday, presence and poise on Thursday and artistic expression on Friday.
Tickets to the Miss Arkansas Pageant are on sale through Ticket Master at (800) 745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Summit Arena box office in Hot Springs. The box office is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on weekends.
For more information, call (501) 321-2835 or (800) SPA-CITY.