LITTLE ROCK — BY CAROL ROLF
Contributing Writer
The Miss Arkansas Pageant and Miss Arkansas’ Outstanding Teen Pageant will be held at the same time this year. The pageants will be held June 13-17 at the newly renovated Robinson Center in Little Rock. Preliminaries for both pageants will be held at 7 p.m. June 13-15. Miss Arkansas’ Outstanding Teen finals will be held at 7 p.m. June 16, and the Miss Arkansas finals will be at 7 p.m. June 17. Doors will open at 6 each night.
In the Miss Arkansas Pageant, preliminary awards will be made in artistic expression (talent), lifestyle and fitness (swimsuit), and presence and poise (evening gown).
Several young women with ties to the Three Rivers Edition coverage area will compete in the annual Miss Arkansas Pageant.
Area contestants include the following:
• Miss Apple Blossom — Reagan Wheelis of Melbourne is the 19-year-old daughter of Dr. Brad and Tina Wheelis. Her talent will be a piano solo, “Pirates of the Caribbean Medley,” and her platform is “Breast Cancer Awareness: Early Detection Is Key.” An accounting major at the University of Arkansas, she will compete in interview on June 11, evening gown and onstage question on June 13, talent on June 14 and swimsuit on June 15.
• Miss Arkansas River — Bethany Kasper of Jacksonville is the 18-year-old daughter of Travis and Melissa Kasper. For her talent, she will sing “Maybe This Time,” and her platform is “Our Kids Read.”
A theater major at the University of Arkansas, she will compete in interview on June 11, swimsuit on June 13, evening gown and onstage question June 14, and talent on June 15.
• Miss Batesville — Christian Weatherley of Cabot is the 19-year-old daughter of Ronnie and Darlene Weatherley. She will perform a clogging routine to “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” and her platform is “S.M.I.L.E. : Seeing Miracles in Life Everyday.” A health and science major at Arkansas State University, she will compete in interview on June 11, evening gown and onstage question on June 13, talent on June 14 and swimsuit on June 15.
• Miss Greater Jacksonville — Kyla Soden of Cabot is the 19-year-old daughter of Mike and Donna Soden. She will perform an acro-jazz dance to “Proud Mary,” and her platform is “Mentoring to Make a Difference.”
A biology major at Ouachita Baptist University, she will compete in interview on June 11, evening gown and onstage question on June 13, talent on June 14 and swimsuit on June 15.
• Miss Northeast Arkansas — Bailey Moses of Cabot is the 22-year-old daughter of Jeff and Marsha Moses. For her talent, she will perform a jazz dance to “Respect,” and her platform is “Suitcases for Kids: Advocacy for Foster Care Children.”
A social-media management major at Arkansas State University, she will compete in interview on June 11, swimsuit on June 13, evening gown and onstage question June 14, and talent on June 15.
The live broadcast of the Miss Arkansas Pageant will begin at 7 p.m. June 17 on KATV-Channel 7, streamlining on KATV.com and the KATV Facebook page.
Tickets to the pageants are available through TicketMaster. Tickets can be ordered by phone at (800) 745- 3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com or at any TicketMaster outlet.
For more information, visit the website missarkansas.org.