Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Diamond Lakes Pageant Near; Time To Enter

The 22nd annual Miss Diamond Lakes and eighth annual Miss Teen Diamond Lakes-America Pageants will be held at Ouachita Baptist University on Saturday, February 15 in Jones Performing Arts Center.

The two pageants are part of the Miss America and Miss Teen Arkansas- America pageant systems, according to Mac Sisson of Arkadelphia.

Contestants will be judged in a private interview, talent, swimsuit and evening wear.

In both contests, talent accounts for 40 percent of the total score, private interview for 30 percent, and swimsuit and evening wear are 15 percent, each.

Sisson said the pageants attract contestants from every section of Arkansas.

"Both pageants are open to young women, statewide," said Sisson. "The pageants have a long and storied history of quality competition with numerous winners and high place finishers at the state level."

The winner and runners-up in the Miss Diamond Lakes Pageant will receive college scholarship funds. The winner will also represent the Miss Daimond Lakes Pagenat franchise at the the Miss Arkansas Pageant to be held June 18-21 in Hot Springs.

Contestants in the Miss Diamond Lakes Pageant have to be no younger than 17 years of age at the time of the local pageant and a graduating high school senior in May. Contestants can be no older that 24 by September 30. 1997.

Other criteria for the Miss America Organization also apply to being an entrant in the local and state pageants.

The new Miss Diamond Lakes will succeed Kerry Jucas of ElDorado, who was second runner-up at last June's state pageant to Melonie McGarrah of Rogers, Miss Arkansas 1996.

The Miss Teen Diamond Lake Pageant is joining the newly formed Miss Teen Arkansas-America Pageant system. The new Miss Teen Diamond Lakes-America will compete in the Miss Teen Arkansas-America state pageant to be held, June 13-14, in Hot Springs.

The winner of the Miss Teen Diamond Lakes-America Pageant will receive a cash scholarship award.

Contestants in the Miss Teen Diamond Lakes-America Pageant have to be no younger than 13 years of age at the time of the local pageant and no older than 17 by June 10, 1997.

Other criteria for the Miss Teen Arkansas-America system also apply to being a contestant at both the local and state competitions. The new Miss Teen Diamond Lakes-America will be eligible for cash scholarships for the winner and runner-up at the state pageant in June.

The new Miss Teen Diamond Lakes-America will succeed Brandi Watkins of Brinkley.

A workshop for both prospective and certain teen and Diamond Lakes Pageant contestants will be held on Saturday, January 11 at OBU. There is no cost to attend.

The Miss America Organization, with headquarters in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is the largest scholarship donor of its kind in the nation annually awarding more than $32 million for college tuition and education fees for contestants.

Yearly, more than 80,000 young women compete for local, state and national titles and awards in the Miss America organizations in the country with more than 300,000 people contributing their time to its efforts.

For more information contact Mac Sisson at 2715 Lynwood Drive in Arkadelphia, Ark. 71998-0001 or call 501-246-5329.