AKA 25th annual Twenty Pearls Scholarship Pageant
AKA 25th annual Twenty Pearls Scholarship Pageant
Miss Mya Moody wins Miss Twenty Pearls, Miss Pink & Green
AKA Chapter President The ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Pi Chi Omega Chapter of West Memphis recently presented their 25th Annual Twenty Pearls Scholarship Pageant at the Clarion Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn) in West Memphis with, over 200 persons in attendance.
Six contestants participated in this year’s pageant consisting of area high school senior young ladies, and over $8,000 were awarded in scholarships, prizes and other gratuities.
The theme of this year’s pageant was “A Silver Salute to Cultured Pearls.”
There were two categories of winners selected, Miss Twenty Pearls, and Miss Pink and Green with three places of winners for Miss Twenty Pearls, and one Winner for Miss Pink and Green. Miss Twenty Pearls, selected by a panel of five judges, represented the overall pageant winner based upon poise and charm, talent and oral expressions. Miss Pink and Green was selected based solely upon the most money raised from patrons and ad sponsors.
As an added attraction again this year, the contestants also performed a dance routine with their fathers or father figures during the last pageant segment from the song, “Dance With My Father Again.”
Pageant winners were Miss Mya Moody of Marion High School, who was crowned as both Miss Twenty Pearls and Miss Pink and Green; Miss Geronee Bohanon of Earle High School, 1st Alternate to Miss Twenty Pearls; and Miss Lindsey Rolfe of Marion High School, 2nd Alternate to Miss Twenty Pearls. Other contestants, who were each awarded a book stipend or other awards, were Miss DeAnna Whitehead, Miss Kendashia Jacobs, and Miss Jacara Pope all of the Academies of West Memphis. Again this year, Mr. Maurice Blair of L.E.A.D made special award presentations to each contestant. By popular demand and for the twelfth consecutive year, Mr. Michael Townsend, Saxophonist/Recording Artist, entertained the audience with various jazz selections during intermission and between pageant segments.
The Mistress of Ceremonies for the pageant was Radio On-Air Personality Stormy, Radio Morning Co-Host at V101 and news reporter, radio personality and Sunday afternoon Talk Show Host at Radio Station 1070 (WDIA), Memphis, Tennessee. She is a native of Magnolia, Arkansas, and has roots in Dallas, Texas.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is the oldest Greek letter Sorority in America, established in 1908 by African-American Women. The annual scholarship pageant is the chapter’s major fundraising event, and it gives young ladies who are high school seniors the opportunity to compete for scholarships to assist in their college education.
The AKA Pageant Committee consisted of Mrs. Clara Barr Ferron, Chairman; Mrs. Carolyn Anthony, Mrs. Shirley Patton Brown, Mrs.
Shirley Higgins, and Mrs.
Peggy Swift, Co-Chairmen. Mrs. Peggy Swift also served as Chairman of the Mother and Daughter Tea that was held in honor of the contestants and their mothers.
Also 12 other Chapter members served as Pageant Sub-Committee Chairmen; and a host of other committee members provided dedicated services in making the pageant a huge success. The local AKA Chapter President is Mrs. Emma Milliner Robinson.
From Emma Robinson
