LITTLE ROCK — Several contestants with ties to the Tri-Lakes Edition coverage area received awards in the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Pageant, which culminated June 15 with the crowning of Miss Apple Blossom Darynne Dahlem of Greenwood as Miss Arkansas 2019.
Miss Ouachita Baptist University Julie Williams of Arkadelphia was named second runner-up and winner of an $8,000 scholarship sponsored by the Former Miss Arkansas Association. Williams is the 21-year-old daughter of the Rev. Charlie and Amy Williams and a graduate of OBU, where she majored in mass communications and political science.
She also received the Bill Tarkington Overall Social Impact in Evening Wear Award, a $2,500 scholarship given by Sharon and Johnny Bale.
Williams won the Evening Gown Preliminary Award on June 12, the opening night of the 82nd annual Miss Arkansas Pageant at Robinson Center in Little Rock. She received a $1,500 scholarship provided by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation. Williams wore a white gown and spoke about her personal social-impact issue, “Bridging the Gap Between the Free and the Fighter.”
Miss Ouachita River Tiffany Lee of Benton was named the third runner-up and the winner of a $6,000 scholarship sponsored by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation. She is the 22-year-old daughter of Tony and Kelly Lee and a graduate of OBU, where she majored in mass communications.
Lee also received the Ashlen Batson Esprit De Corps Award in the amount of $650 provided by Bill Tarkington and Mike Spivey.
She also received the Healthy Lifestyle Platform Award in the amount of $500 given by Sharon Turrentine during the opening-night preliminary competition on June 12.
Miss Greater Hot Springs Gracie Stover of Little Rock was named the fourth runner-up and received a $5,000 scholarship sponsored by Don and Robin Houseworth.
She also received the Legacy Overall Dance Award, in honor of Kathy Wheatley, in the amount of $1,000 provided by Erin Wheatley and the Miss America Community Service Award in the amount of $1,000 provided by the Miss America Foundation.
Stover won the Preliminary Artistic Expression in Talent Award June 13, which is a $2,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation. She performed a tap dance to Michael Jackson’s “Epic Dual.”
Additionally, Stover placed fifth in the Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Maker fundraising campaign and received a $500 scholarship given by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation.
Among the five semifinalists — each receiving a $3,000 scholarship sponsored by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation — finishing in the top six to 10 places and listed in random order were the following:
• Miss Metro Taryn Bewley of Conway is the 20-year-old daughter of Terry and Allyson Bewley and a junior psychology and political-science major at Ouachita Baptist University.
Area contestants finishing in the top 11 to 15 places, in random order and receiving a $1,500 scholarship each sponsored by the Miss Arkansas Organization, were the following:
• Miss Northeast Arkansas Jessica Miller of Bryant, the 20-year-old daughter of Scott and Dodi Miller, is a junior social-work major at Arkansas State University.
She also received the Service Above Self Award competing in the Mu Group of contestants on June 13, a $1,000 scholarship given by the Rotary Club of Little Rock No. 99.
• Miss South Central Arkansas Emma Pitts of Clarksville, the 21-year-old daughter of Jeremy Pitts and Rebecca Adler, is a senior music-education major at OBU.
She also received the Frances Wilson Non-Finalist Overall Talent Award in the amount of $1,000 provided by C.J. Wilson, and the Non-Finalist Vocal Award in the amount of $500 provided by Brad and Zach Stout. Additionally, Pitts won the Preliminary Artistic Expression in Talent Award June 12 for her musical-theater dance to “Journey to the Past.” That award was a $2,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation.
• Miss White River Mady Rottinghaus of Hot Springs is the 19-year-old daughter of Michael and Amber Rottinghaus and a sophomore biology/Spanish major at OBU.
She also received the Overall Instrumentalist Award, in the amount of $500, provided by Kerry Jucas Moody, for her piano rendition of “Stormy Night” and the Overall Arrival Award, a $750 scholarship given by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation.
Rottinghaus also placed fourth in the Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Maker fundraising campaign and received a $500 scholarship given by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation.
Other area contestants receiving awards include the following:
• Miss Central Arkansas Kyla Soden of Cabot, the 21-year-old daughter of Mike and Donya Snoden and a senior biology major at OBU, received the Overall Service Above Self Award in the amount of $3,000 provided by the Rotary Club of Little Rock No. 99. She also received a Service Above Self Scholarship while competing in the Alpha Group of contestants on June 14; that award was a $1,000 scholarship, also given by the Rotary Club of Little Rock No. 99.
• Miss Southwest Arkansas Avery Jackson of Little Rock, the 20-year-old daughter of Russ and Mandy Jackson and a junior nursing major at OBU, received the Overall Alpha On Stage Interview Award in the amount of $1,000 provided by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation.
Additional information is available at missarkansas.org.