NEWS RELEASE

June 27, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cassidy Grimes, Public Relations Director
251-438-3621 | 251-622-5335 | cassidy@ajm.org

AJM PRELIMINARY COMPETITION COMPLETE

America’s Junior Miss completed the second half of the preliminary competition of the 51st Annual National Finals Friday night in Mobile, AL. The Class of 2008 is competing for a share of over $150,000 in college scholarships and the title of America’s Junior Miss 2008.

During the preliminary competitions, the 50 contestants were divided into four groups, half of which competed in the fitness and self expression portions during the first preliminaries and talent at the second preliminaries. The other half performed talent during the first preliminaries and competed in fitness and self expression during the second.

AJM awarded several scholarships during Friday’s competition totalling $25,000.

The following Junior Misses received scholastic scholarships of $1,000 each: Hawaii’s Junior Miss, Trina Hyun; California’s Junior Miss, Jacqueline Rotman; Nebraska’s Junior Miss, Madison Rezaei; Georgia’s Junior Miss, Laura Brett Harshbarger; and Utah’s Junior Miss, Lindsey Brinton.

The following Junior Misses received judges interview scholarships of $1,000 each: Virginia’s Lily Voth, Texas’ Alexis Keslinke, Utah’s Lindsey Brinton, Tennessee’s Chandler Lawson, and Oregon’s Twila Tschan.

The following Junior Misses received fitness awards at $1,000 each; Ohio’s Junior Miss, Lauren Gessner; Indiana’s Junior Miss, Anah Hewetson; Alabama’s Junior Miss, Norma Boyd; Utah’s Junior Miss, Lindsey Brinton; and Kansas’ Junior Miss, Jairrah Mansfield.

Five contestants received $1,000 scholarships for the Self-Expression category: Louisiana’s Junior Miss, Lauren McCalmont; Alabama’s Junior Miss, Norma Boyd; Virginia’s Junior Miss, Lily Voth; Ohio’s Junior Miss, Lauren Gessner; and Indiana’s Junior Miss, Anah Hewetson.

North Carolina’s Junior Miss Helen Ching, Idaho’s Junior Miss Hannah Yeats, Alaska’s Junior Johanna Soderland, Oklahoma’s Junior Miss Kaileigh Bullard, and Utah’s Junior Miss Lindsey Brinton each won $1,000 scholarships for talent.

The 51st Annual National Finals will take place Saturday, June 28, at the Mobile Civic Center Theater at 7:00 pm. The top eight finalists will be announced at the beginning of the competition and will compete in fitness, talent and self-expression. The program will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. CST online at www.nbc15online.com. The pre-show highlighting the 2008 contestants’ two-week stay in Mobile, AL can be viewed beginning at 6 p.m. CST.

Major sponsors for AJM 2008 are the City of Mobile and Mobile County. Category sponsors are: Encore Rehabilitation, Wintzell’s Oyster House, Mobile Gas, Alabama Power, and Regions Bank.

For more information about America’s Junior Miss and the 51st Annual National Finals, please contact Cassidy Grimes, Public Relations Director, at 251.622.5335 or cassidy@ajm.org, or visit www.ajm.org.

-AJM-

Click on the text below to download one of the following award photos:

Self Expession Award Winners	Scholastics Award Winners	Interview Award Winners
Fitness Award Winners	Talent Award Winners