Rosewood junior named Queen of Wayne Fair
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 28, 2008 12:21 AM
News-Argus/Mitch Loeber
Holly Jones smiles at the crowd gathered at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Friday night after being named the 2008 Queen of the Fair.
A 16-year-old Rosewood High School junior who enjoys fishing and hunting captured the title of Wayne County Fair Queen Friday night.
Holly Jones also received the Nicole Painter Talent Award, given to the contestant with the highest score in talent. The talent portion of the competition accounted for 40 percent of the judges' scores.
She sang "Broken Wing," a popular Martina McBride song.
As cameras flashed and well-wishers waited near the stage, the announcement of her win was still sinking in.
"I can't breathe yet," she said.
She had entered the contest "because of this woman right here," she said, gesturing to her mom Tammy Jones.
"She loves to sing," her mother said, expressing pride in her daughter's accomplishment.
Even though Holly had previously entered the Miss Rosewood contest and lost, it only contributed to her decision to go for the Queen of the Fair title.
She is comfortable performing on a stage. In addition to being in the show choir at school, she has also been a back-up and lead singer with "Southern Star Band."
In addition to prizes donated by area businesses, each of the top winners received Mount Olive College scholarships. Miss Jones received a $2,000 renewable scholarship, while the first runner-up was awarded a $1,500 scholarship; $1,000 went to the second runner-up; and $500 to the third runner-up.
The three runners-up were all Charles B. Aycock High School students.
Meghan Kornegay, a senior who sang "When I Think About Rain," was named first runner-up and also tied for the Miss Congeniality award.
Edie Hooks, a sophomore who sang "Reflections" from the movie "Mulan," was second runner-up.
Senior Rebecca Setliff, who danced in the talent portion, was named third runner-up.
Also tying for Miss Congeniality was Vividiana Delgado, a junior at Rosewood High School.
Other contestants included Maricela Salinas, a Spring Creek junior; Jureq Jones, a junior at Goldsboro High: Heaven Walker, a sophomore at Southern Wayne; Cierra Sawyer, a sophomore at Eastern Wayne; Hannah McArthur, a Southern Wayne senior; Kayla Mozingo, a senior at Wayne Early/Middle College; Kiyona Sutton, a senior at Eastern Wayne; Jaleesa Lane, a senior at Goldsboro High; Ariel Nacca, a Rosewood senior; and Jerrica Hinson, a junior at Southern Wayne.