LITTLE ROCK — The Miss Arkansas and Miss Arkansas’ Outstanding Teen pageants will once again take place during the same week. The pageants will be today through Saturday at Robinson Center Performance Hall in Little Rock.
Preliminaries for both pageants will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Miss Arkansas’ Outstanding Teen finals will be at 7 p.m. Friday, and the Miss Arkansas finals will be at 7 p.m. Saturday. Doors will open at 6 each night.
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 River Valley & Ozark Edition coverage area will compete in the Miss Arkansas Pageant:
• Miss Apple Blossom — Kelley Brown of Greenwood, the 22-year-old daughter of Bryan and Debbie Brown of Greenwood — will present a tap dance to “Runaway Baby” for her talent. Her platform is Helping Hands for Heroes.
A senior nursing major at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, she will compete in interview today, talent on Tuesday, swimsuit on Wednesday, and evening gown and onstage question on Thursday.
• Miss Arkansas Tech University — Madison Oswalt of Harrison, the 19-year-old daughter of Ryan and Laurie Oswalt of Harrison — will present a ballet en pointe to “O Fortuna” for her talent. Her platform is That’s Not Love.
A sophomore pre-veterinary-medicine major at Arkansas Tech, she will compete in interview today, evening gown and onstage question on Tuesday, talent on Wednesday and swimsuit on Thursday.
• Miss Central Arkansas — Ebony Mitchell of Harrison, the 21-year-old daughter of Hulene Ongola of Alpena — will present a vocal rendition of “At Last” for her talent. Her platform is SAFE Connections.
A senior business marketing major at UCA, she will compete in interview today, talent on Tuesday, swimsuit on Wednesday, and evening gown and onstage question on Thursday.
• Miss Conway — Chanan Drake of Conway, the 19-year-old daughter of Cory and Kimberly Drake of Conway — will present a jazz dance to “I Will Survive” for her talent. Her platform is Special Olympics: Futures Bright as Gold.
A sophomore kinesiology major at the University of Arkansas, she will compete in interview today, evening gown and onstage question on Tuesday, talent on Wednesday and swimsuit on Thursday,
• Miss Gateway to the Ozarks — Alyson Paige Tyler of Bentonville, the 24-year-old daughter of Andy and Diana Woller and Michael Tyler of Lamar, Colorado — will present a vocal rendition of “Fight Song” for her talent. Her platform is MIND Your Health: Mental Health Awareness.
A 2016 graduate of UCA in accounting, she will compete in interview today, talent on Tuesday, swimsuit on Wednesday, and evening gown and onstage question on Thursday.
• Miss Johnson County — Rebecca Ward of Clarksville, the 19-year-old daughter of Billy and the Rev. Marci Ward of Clarksville — will perform a vocal operatic rendition of “O Mio Babbino Caro” for her talent. Her platform is The Importance of the Arts in Education.
A sophomore music major at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, she will compete in interview today, evening gown and onstage question on Tuesday, talent on Wednesday and swimsuit on Thursday.
• Miss Lake Dardanelle — Hannah Burrow of Foreman, the 25-year-old daughter of Chad and Rachelle Burrow of Foreman — will present a jazz dance to “One Night Only” for her talent. Her platform is Safe Around Sound.
A 2017 graduate of UCA with a master’s degree in nutrition, she will compete in interview today, evening gown and onstage question on Tuesday, talent on Wednesday and swimsuit on Thursday.
• Miss Natural State — Kelsey Stone of Russellville, the 21-year-old daughter of Dee and Kim Stone of Texarkana, Texas — will present a vocal and piano rendition of “Rise Up” for her talent. Her platform is #FindYourGift: Realizing Your Potential.
A senior nursing major at Arkansas Tech, she will compete in interview on Monday, swimsuit on Tuesday, evening gown and onstage question on Wednesday, and talent on Thursday.
• Miss Ozark Highlands — Kristen Sharp of Van Buren, the 18-year-old daughter of Warren and Tawana Sharp of Van Buren — will present a jazz dance to “River Deep Mountain High.” Her platform is The Compassion Campaign: Comforting Children in Foster Care.
A freshman nursing major at UCA, she will compete in interview on Monday, swimsuit on Tuesday, evening gown and onstage question on Wednesday, and talent on Thursday.
• Miss Petit Jean Valley — Taryn Bewley of Conway, the 19-year-old daughter of Terry and Allyson Bewley of Conway — will present a tap dance to “Prince Medley” for her talent. Her platform is Reading Matters.
A sophomore psychology major at the University of Mississippi, she will compete in interview today, evening gown and onstage question on Tuesday, talent on Wednesday and swimsuit on Thursday.
• Miss Southeast Arkansas — Cameron Willis of Sheridan, the 21-year-old daughter of Randy Willis and Diana Willis of Bryant — will present a vocal rendition of “Never Enough” for her talent. Her platform is Table Talk: Breaking the Silence of Eating Disorders.
A senior biology/pre-medicine major at the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College at UCA, she will compete in interview today, talent on Tuesday, swimsuit on Wednesday, and evening gown and onstage question on Thursday.
• Miss Spirit of Arkansas — Alexis Sanders of Conway, the 22-year-old daughter of Roosevelt and Vernetta Sanders of West Helena — will present a flute performance of “Don’t Worry ’Bout a Thing” for her talent. Her platform is All Hands Down: Volunteer.
A 2017 graduate of UCA in health education, she will compete in interview on Monday, swimsuit on Tuesday, evening gown and onstage question on Wednesday, and talent on Thursday.
• Miss Sweetheart of Arkansas — Payton Marshall of Belleville, the 20-year-old daughter of David and Stacy Marshall of Conway and Belleville — will present a vocal rendition of “Those Were the Days” for her talent. Her platform is Paws With Purpose.
A junior English education major at Arkansas Tech, she will compete in interview today, talent on Tuesday, swimsuit on Wednesday, and evening gown and onstage question on Thursday.
• Miss University of Central Arkansas — Megan McAfee of Gravette, the 21-year-old daughter of David and Sheryl McAfee of Gravette — will present a piano performance of “Elton John Lullaby” for her talent. Her platform is LEAD to Succeed.
A senior health service administration major at UCA, she will compete in interview today, talent on Tuesday, swimsuit on Wednesday, and evening gown and onstage question on Thursday.
KATV Channel 7 in Little Rock has partnered with KAIT Channel 8 in Jonesboro and KFSM Channel 5 in Fort Smith to simulcast the Miss Arkansas Pageant’s final competition at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets to the Miss Arkansas Pageant are available by calling the Robinson Box Office at (501) 244-8800 for possible discounts or through the pageant business office at (501) 321-3506. Tickets are also available through TicketMaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745- 3000.
For more information, visit the website missarkansas.org.