June 28, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cassidy Grimes, Public Relations Director
251-438-3621 | 251-214-8199 | cassidy@ajm.org

AMERICA’S JUNIOR MISS AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS AT FIRST PRELIMINARY COMPETITION

America’s Junior Miss hosted the first preliminary of the 50th Annual National Finals on Thursday at the Civic Center Theater in Mobile, AL. Several satellite awards were handed out during the first preliminary. These awards do not affect the evaluation process, but are provided by local sponsors as outside scholarship opportunities.

The Press-Register, Mobile’s daily newspaper, sponsored a daily journal scholarship worth $1,000. The contestants each submitted one journal entry during their time in Mobile, and a winner was chosen each day. That day’s winning entry was printed in the Press-Register. The editors then chose an overall winner from the daily winners. Alabama’s Junior Miss, Mary Catherine McAnnally, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship for her entry.

Each contestant was asked to create a scrapbook prior to her arrival in Mobile. This book was to depict, in pictures, her journey to the America’s Junior Miss National Finals. Calagaz Photo Supply was the sponsor of this award, and representatives from Calagaz determined the winner for this award. Washington’s Junior Miss, Lexie Fairbanks, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship for her scrapbook.

Heather Badeaux, Louisiana’s Junior Miss, was awarded a satellite award for the Colonial Mall Bel Air Community Service Essay. Keelan O’Connell, Texas’ Junior Miss, won the Wintzell’s Oyster House “My Town” award. Both scholarships are focused on community service and the efforts to improve the winners’ local communities. Badeaux received $1,500 and O’Connell received a $1,000 scholarship.

The America’s Junior Miss Council awarded three $1,000 scholarships to Class of 2007 members for their Be Your Best Self essays. Be Your Best Self is the national platform of America’s Junior Miss, and contestants were asked to write an essay on how they promoted this program during their time as a state Junior Miss. The recipients of these scholarships were Paige Ledger of Iowa, Mary Catherine McAnnally of Alabama, and Karin Tsai of Pennsylvania.

Seventeen Junior Misses from the Class 0f 2006 participated in the week’s activities as ‘the Has Beens’. Rhode Island’s 2006 Junior Miss, Kaitlyn Rei, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship funded by SAAD Development and was presented by Dana Booth.

The Second Preliminary competition of the 50th Annual America’s Junior Miss National Finals will take place at 7:00 pm on Friday, June 29 at the Mobile Civic Center Theater.

Major sponsors of AJM for 2007 are the City of Mobile, Mobile County, and the Mitchell Company. Category sponsors are Alabama Power, Encore Rehabilitation, Mobile Gas, Reigons Bank, and Wintzell’s Oyster House.

For more information about America’s Junior Miss, the nation’s oldest and largest scholarship program for high-school senior women, please contact Cassidy Grimes, Public Relations Director, at (office) 251-438-3621, cassidy@ajm.org, or visit www.ajm.org.

-AJM-