Twelve students have registered as contestants in the 63rd annual Miss Arkansas Tech University Scholarship Pageant.
The pageant will be on Friday, Feb. 16, at Witherspoon Auditorium. It will begin at 7 p.m. Admission will be $8 for adults, $5 for minors and free with a current and valid Arkansas Tech identification card.
Miss Arkansas 2017 Maggie Benton of Jonesboro, Miss Arkansas’ Outstanding Teen 2017 Aubrey Reed of Russellville and Miss Arkansas Tech 2017 Kelsey Stone of Russellville will provide special entertainment.
The Miss Arkansas Tech University Scholarship Pageant is sponsored by the ladies of Delta Zeta. Dr. Jim Collins serves as pageant executive director and master of ceremonies.
The Miss Tech Pageant is an official preliminary to the Miss America Pageant, and the winner will compete in the 2018 Miss Arkansas Pageant.
Contestants in the Miss Arkansas Tech University Scholarship Pageant must be full-time female Tech students between the ages of 17 and 25.
The new Miss Tech will receive a two-semester tuition scholarship at Arkansas Tech. In all, more than $24,000 in gifts and scholarships will be awarded during the pageant.
The 12 contestants for the 63rd Miss Tech title, listed in the order in which they will compete, are:
Contestant No. 1: Makayla King
Parents: Cristy and Lynn King
Hometown: Conway
Talent: Lyrical Dance – “Life is Worth Living”
Platform: Hope – Hold On, Pain Ends
Sponsor: Zeta Tau Alpha
Contestant No. 2: Haley Milam
Parents: Melinda and Randy Milam
Hometown: Alma
Talent: Dance
Platform: Suicide Awareness
Sponsor: Alpha Sigma Tau
Contestant No. 3: Cierra Martin
Parents: Audra and Rob Thompson; Lavonda and Wayne Martin
Hometown: Lavaca
Talent: Vocal – “Crazy”
Platform: Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Sponsor: Phi Mu
Contestant No. 4: McKinzy McGee
Parents: Sharon and Leslie Edwards
Hometown: Mena
Talent: Original Monologue
Platform: Go Red for Women’s Heart Health
Sponsor: Angelic Airbrush Sunless Tanning
Contestant No. 5: Kaylee Lawrence
Parents: Kathy and Mark Lawrence
Hometown: Bauxite
Talent: Dance
Platform: Promoting Academic Growth and Achievement
Sponsor: Delta Zeta
Contestant No. 6: Lauren Branch
Parents: Trish and Matthew Klein; Michael Branch
Hometown: Russellville
Talent: Vocal
Platform: isurvive.org
Sponsors: Old Bank Sports Grill and Newton’s Pharmacy
Contestant No. 7: Madison Oswalt
Parents: Laurie and Ryan Oswalt
Hometown: Harrison
Talent: Dance
Platform: That’s Not Love
Sponsor: Delta Zeta
Contestant No. 8: Meagan Halcomb
Parents: Ann and Chuck Halcomb
Hometown: Delight
Talent: Vocal
Platform: Let’s Be Real – Suicide Awareness
Sponsor: Sigma Tau Delta
Contestant No. 9: Danielle Duggan
Parents: Donna and Greg Duggan
Hometown: De Queen
Talent: Vocal – “Gravity”
Platform: Spread the Love – Ending Food Insecurity
Sponsors: Zeta Tau Alpha and Sole2Soul Fitness
Contestant No. 10: Emily Torrealba
Parents: Cindy and Eduardo Torrealba
Hometown: Arlington, Texas
Talent: Science Experiment – “All About Engineering”
Platform: Our Learning Has No Limit – Encouraging Women to Join STEM Fields
Sponsor: ATU Women in STEM
Contestant No. 11: Payton Marshall
Parents: Stacy and David Marshall
Hometown: Belleville
Talent: Vocal – “Love Yourself”
Platform: Paws with Purpose
Sponsor: Rendezvous
Contestant No. 12: Anna Adams-King
Parents: Audrey and Bruce King; Bernadette and Chris Adams
Hometown: Fort Smith
Talent: Twirling
Platform: Mentoring Makes the Difference
Sponsor: Zeta Tau Alpha
