Fair Queen crowned
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 3, 2010 1:50 AM
As a young girl, Stacie Dawson dreamed about being in a pageant and wearing a sparkly tiara.
Friday night, that became a reality as she was crowned 2010 Queen of the Wayne County Fair.
The senior at Wayne Early/Middle College High School said she specifically chose the local contest for her first competition.
"I felt the Queen of the Fair would be community-oriented, that it would be the most fun," she said afterwards. "I could get to meet a lot of different people."
This year's event boasted its largest group of contestants to compete, organizers said, with 20 high school students vying for the title.
Hannah Singleton, 2009 queen, said it was "elbow-to-elbow" backstage at last year's event, and there were only 15 contestants then.
That was actually one of the highlights, though, Stacie said.
"I enjoyed the craziness backstage," she said.
She also won the Nicole Painter Talent Award for having the highest overall score in the talent portion of the competition, which accounted for 40 percent of the total score.
She performed a contemporary dance. Stacie, a youth dance ambassador for Dance Troupe International, said she plans to pursue a career in dance.
Meanwhile, the bulk of her upcoming week will be spent on the fairground in Dudley.
"I'm looking forward to going to all the events, but especially the demolition derby," she said.
Prizes were donated by area businesses, and Mount Olive College offered renewable scholarships to each of the top winners. Miss Singleton is the first contestant to have cashed in her winnings, beginning her freshman year at the college six weeks ago.
Miss Dawson received a $2,000 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.
Two contestants tied for Miss Congeniality, voted on by the participants -- Moya Miller, a senior at Goldsboro High School, who sang "Everything for Me," and Sarah Wyse, a senior at Southern Wayne, who performed a lyrical dance.
Miss Wyse was also named first runner-up.
Sarah Judy, a junior at Southern Wayne who sang "Footprints in the Sand," was named second runner-up. Sarah Rhodes, a senior at Wayne Early/Middle College, third runner-up, sang "Stuff Like That."
Rounding out the list of contestants were Jessica Vasquez, Eastern Wayne; Sarah Boltinhouse, Spring Creek; Mitzi Arteaga, Spring Creek High; Diamond Ferrer, Goldsboro High; Chelece Dobson, Southern Wayne; Morgan Hooks, Charles B.Aycock; Natifa Taymullah, Goldsboro; Candice Jackson, Wayne Christian; Kimber Pender, Aycock; Shaparis Singleton, Wayne School of Engineering; Mackenzie Malham, Wayne School of Engineering; Briona Jackson, Rosewood; Tiffany King, Rosewood; Tessaree Thompson, Aycock; and Tikeyah Shaw, Eastern Wayne.