Three with Wayne ties to compete in Miss North Carolina Pageant
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 14, 2015 1:50 AM
The Goldsboro community will have three representatives vying for the crown of Miss North Carolina when it airs Saturday night.
The 78th annual scholarship pageant will be held at Duke Energy for the Performing Arts and broadcast on Time Warner Cable at 7 p.m.
A Miss Goldsboro has not won the state title since 1942 but several from Wayne County, representing other communities, have gone on to receive the crown.
The reigning Miss North Carolina, Beth Stovall -- a 2011 graduate of Rosewood High School --was actually Miss Goldsboro 2013, advancing to the top 10 at the state pageant that year. She went on to be crowned Miss Greater Sampson County 2014 before taking the state title.
Hailey Best Jernigan was a contestant for Miss Goldsboro in 2011, receiving the community service award. But it was after she competed and won Miss Durham later that year that she was awarded the title of Miss North Carolina and went on to finish in the Top 15 at Miss America.
In addition to the current Miss Goldsboro, two other young women with local ties will be in the running for the top prize next weekend.
Victoria Baskett, Miss Goldsboro 2015, is a 21-year-old from Fayetteville. She is a rising senior at UNC-Chapel Hill studying exercise and sports science with a minor in Spanish.
Her platform is "Get In Tune and Just Breathe."
For her talent, she will perform a flute solo to the Latin-inspired "Fuego" by Bond.
To follow her on social media, visit any of the following addresses on Facebook: Miss Goldsboro 2015 Victoria Baskett; Get In Tune and Just Breathe; or Miss Goldsboro Scholarship Program.
Her predecessor as Miss Goldsboro 2014, Emily Tucker, is also returning to the state event for a second time, as Miss Greater Sampson County. She fared well as last year's contest, being among the Top 10.
A 2009 graduate of Eastern Wayne High School, she received her degree in vocal performance from East Carolina University in 2013.
The 24-year-old opera singer will perform the French opera aria, "Robert, toi que j'aime" by Giaccomo Meyerbeer.
Her platform is "United We Stand, Together We Serve," inspiring a patriotic heart in America's future leaders.
To follow her on social media, visit Miss Greater Sampson County Emily Tucker.
The third contestant, who hails from Pikeville, is Casey Croom, the current Miss Rose Hill.
Her previous pageant experience includes representing Nahunta Fire Department in the Wayne County Fire Princess contest in 2010. She also competed for Miss Goldsboro 2013, coming in as second runner-up.
She graduated from Princeton High School in 2011 and in May received her bachelor of science degree in community health education from UNC-Wilmington.
The 21-year-old -- she'll turn 22 on the day of the pageant -- will perform a tap routine to the song, "Lewis Boogie."
Her platform is "Four Points to a Healthy Heart," focusing on staying active and a healthy diet, knowing family history and the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
She can be followed on Facebook at Miss Rose Hill 2015 Casey Croom.
Nearly three dozen hopefuls converge upon Raleigh this week, with preliminary contests taking place June 17-19.
Part of the entertainment on the show this year will be Clark Beckham, runner-up to the recent American Idol.
Cards and mail can be sent to the contestants by name to Miss North Carolina Pageant, William Peace University/Finley Dorm, 15 East Peace Street, Raleigh, NC 27604. Mail will not be delivered on the 20th so to be received it should be received by Friday.