By Staff
WORKSHOP BRIEFING Rebekah Crosby, left, Forrest County's Junior Miss, receives ticket information from Glenda Thomas, ticket chairman of the Mississippi Junior Miss Program, during a workshop Saturday at First Baptist Church for contestants in this year's state program. Also attending were Ann Davis, Lamar County's Junior Miss who was sitting behind Crosby; Kenzie Keaster, Petal's Junior Miss; and Keaster's mother, Karan Keaster. PHOTO BY PAULA MERRITT / THE MERIDIAN STAR
By Penny Randall / staff writer
April 20, 2003
Thirty-eight of Mississippi's brightest and talented young ladies were in Meridian on Saturday for a glimpse of what they will experience during Junior Miss Week 2004.
The 47th Annual Mississippi Junior Miss Program is set for July 31-Aug. 2 at the Temple Theater. Preliminary competition will be 7:30 p.m. July 31 and Aug. 1; the final night of competition will be 8 p.m. Aug. 2.
One young woman will walk away with the title of Mississippi's Junior Miss 2004 and a $5,000 cash scholarship to use at the college or university of her choice.
In total, the Mississippi Junior Miss program will award $22,450 in cash scholarships during the three nights of competition.
On Saturday, at the day-long workshop at First Baptist Church in Meridian, the contestants were briefed about choreography, clothing, the scoring process and the host families with whom they will live.
While in Meridian, the group toured the Temple Theater. And Mississippi's Junior Miss 2003, Beth Finch of Clinton, also gave contestants an insider's view of the program.
Finch, who is Clinton's Junior Miss, received a total of $7,200 in cash scholarships.
Finch will represent Mississippi in the national Junior Miss finals in Mobile on June 25, 26 and 28, where she will compete for the title of America's Junior Miss and more than $175,000 in cash scholarships.
National sponsors of America's Junior Miss include Coca-Cola, Tyson Foods Inc., Bally Total Fitness, Uppseedaisees Loungewear and ThermaSilk. National category sponsors include The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Terminix, Mobile Gas and UBS/PaineWebber.
Governmental support is furnished by the city of Mobile, Mobile County and the state of Alabama.