RALEIGH – The 82 young women competing for the titles of Miss North Carolina 2016 and Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen began their final journey to find out who will be crowned the winner after the first night of preliminary competition.
Miss Bladenboro Outstanding Teen Anna Grace Allen is one of those competitors.
Miss Winston-Salem, Kacy Lee, Miss Mount Holly, Kylee Russell and Miss Clayton, Ashton Gill, took top honors during Wednesday evening’s competition. Lee won the preliminary talent award while Russell and Gill tied in the lifestyle and fitness award in swimsuit.
The Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen Scholarship Pageant also kicked off its annual competition with its first two preliminary competitions. Miss Wilmington’s Outstanding Teen, Christen Oliver, garnered the preliminary Talent award, and Miss Cumberland County’s Outstanding Teen, Meri-Morgan Lochner, took home the Evening Gown/On-Stage Question award.
The Miss Charlotte-Mecklenburg County pageant program was honored Wednesday night as the best new local within the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant Program.
The Sponsor of the Year award was presented in loving memory of Rufus Singleton.
The Kate Peacock Teaching Fellowship Scholarship was awarded to Miss Clayton, Ashton Gill.
The Beth Christine Stovall Music Scholarship was awarded to Miss Capital City, Nia Franklin.
The five finalists for the Quality of Life award, which honors pageant contestant’s community service platforms, were also announced. Miss Clayton, Ashton Gill; Miss Charlotte, Allison Farris; Miss Greater Carolina, Ashley Underhill; Miss Wilmington, Victoria Huggins; Miss Kinston Lenoir County, Lily Faulconer. The winner will be revealed at Saturday evening’s final event.