Latest news with #pageant
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The new Miss Florida has ties to Gainesville. Here's what to know.
LAKELAND – The city of Gainesville has another champion to celebrate. After three nights of competition, showcasing talent, interview skills and community initiatives, Paris Richardson was crowned Miss Florida on June 28 night at the 2025 Miss Florida Scholarship Competition at the RP Funding Center. Richardson was the second Miss Gainesville to win the crown and the first since Marcia Crane earned the title in 1952. She will now represent the Sunshine State at Miss America in September. A 2020 graduate of Jean Ribault Senior High School in Jacksonville, Richardson, is a recent graduate of the University of Florida with a master's degree in health administration. The reigning Miss Gainesville, Richardson, was presented with her crown from 2024 Miss Florida winner Casana Fink and was awarded a $20,000 scholarship for her win. In the 2024 Miss Florida competition, Richardson was third runner-up as Miss Northeast Florida. In addition to this week's on-stage success, Richardson earned multiple scholarships during Miss Florida week, highlighted by winning the talent competition on night two with an inspirational acrobatic performance to Big Noise by Bette Midler. The former University of Florida cheerleader was also one of just four candidates to win two scholarships during the 2025 Scholarship Award Gala held at Camp Margaritaville RV Resort and Cabana Cabins in Auburndale on June 27. She was the recipient of the Women in Business ($500) and Miss Florida Marketing Plan ($1,000) scholarships. Richardson was one of 16 semifinalists announced at the beginning of the finals on June 28. The semifinalists presented their community service initiatives and went through the health and fitness portion of the program. The event concluded with the talent and evening gown competition, followed by an on-stage conversation with the 2003 Miss Florida winner and 2004 Miss America winner, Ericka Dunlop before the winner was announced. Richardson will use her platform as Miss Florida to expand the reach of her initiative, CROWN of Health, by collaborating with local schools, community organizations and healthcare professionals to promote wellness education and equitable access to healthcare through workshops, school visits, and community events, with hopes to equip individuals with the knowledge and resources necessary to make informed health decisions. Additionally, she intends to serve as a liaison between communities and healthcare providers, advocating for policies that address health disparities and promote inclusivity. Earlier in the evening, Noelle Schnacky, Miss Orlando's Teen, was named Miss Florida's Teen 2025 and will compete in the Miss America's Teen Competition. Noelle receives a $5,000 scholarship and full tuition to one of the following schools of higher education: Stetson, Florida Southern, Florida State University Panama City and Gulf Coast State College. Noelle, a native of Clermont, is a recent graduate of Lake Mineola High School and is enrolled at Lake Sumter State College, where she will receive her associate degree this summer. While at Lake Mineola, Noelle was a member of the girls' varsity lacrosse team, as well as the varsity cheer and competition cheer teams. She is also a Fellowship of Christian Athletes student leader and the recipient of the FCA Coaches Choice Awards in 2025. She will utilize her platform as Miss Florida's Teen to advance her community service initiative and 501(c)(3) organization, Hope for Heart Kids, which raises awareness of heart defects by building partnerships with all 15 major children's hospitals in Florida. Winner – Paris Richardson (Miss Gainesville) $20,000 Scholarship First Runner-Up – Anjelica Jones (Miss Jacksonville) $7,000 Scholarship Second Runner-Up – Halle Burton (Miss Florida Citrus) $6,000 Scholarship Third Runner-Up – Alexandra De Roos (Miss Tampa) $5,000 Scholarship Fourth Runner-Up – Megan Price (Miss Miami) $3,000 Scholarship Finalist – Mikayla Summerall (Miss Treasure Coast) Finalist – Carolina Schapanski (Miss Ocala) Finalist – Emma Manthos (Miss Ponte Vedra) Finalist – Bailee Perdue (Miss University of Florida) Finalist – Juliana Fray (Miss Hillsborough County) Finalist – Tia Unsell (Miss St. Augustine) Finalist – Jada Brown (Miss Polk County) Finalist – Bethany Worley (Miss Orlando) Finalist – Annie McGrath (Miss South Florida Fair) Finalist – Julia Roberson (Miss Sumpter County) Finalist – Briana Florexil (Miss City Beautiful) Winner – Noelle Schnacky (Miss Orlando) $5,000 Scholarship First Runner-Up – Kady McKenna (Miss Jacksonville's Teen) $1,500 Scholarship Second Runner-Up – Madison Pedreiro (Miss Ponte Vedra's Teen) $1,000 Scholarship Third Runner-Up – Nehyssa Turenne (Miss Northeast Florida's Teen) $600 Fourth Runner-Up – Milee Hasting (Miss Winter Park's Teen) $500 Finalist – Monica Kobeirowski (Miss Broward County's Teen) Finalist – Juliann Gill (Miss St. Augustine's Teen) Finalist – Ashlee Combee (Miss Gainesville's Teen) Finalist – Taylor Gregory (Miss Hillsborough County's Teen) Finalist – Annistyn Griffin (Miss Plant City's Teen) Finalist – Madison Anderer (Miss City Beautiful's Teen) Finalist – Janai Newball-Oladapo (Miss First Coast's Teen) Finalist – Vaishnavi Rednam (Miss Miami Beach's Teen) Finalist – Kenley McKenna (Miss South Florida's Teen) The winners of Miss Florida and Miss Florida's Teen will represent the state at the 2026 Miss America and Miss America's Teen competition in September at The Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in Orlando. Miss America, founded in 1921, is the longest-running competition of its kind in the world. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Miss Florida, Paris Richardson, a University of Florida grad
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Senegal's prized Ladoum sheep compete in a sheep beauty pageant
Sheep competed for prizes Sunday at one of Senegal's regularly held sheep pageants. One of the stars of the show in Guediawaye, on the outskirts of Dakar, was Niang Ballo.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Vicious message Jordan Hudson sent about Bill Belichick's ex after shockingly intimate discovery
Jordon Hudson fired off some choice words meant for lover Bill Belichick 's ex-girlfriend after discovering a deeply personal email sent to her beau during their 16-year romance, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal. Hudson, a 24-year-old former cheerleader and pageant queen, savagely mocked Linda Holliday, 62, as 'pathetic' and 'delusional' after sending a photo of the printed letter via Instagram to a woman she believed was Holiday's close friend.
South China Morning Post
24-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Angel Chong, youngest district councillor, enters Miss Hong Kong Pageant
The youngest district councillor in Hong Kong is running in the Miss Hong Kong Pageant, with the home affairs minister reminding her to fulfil her public duties and leaving open the question of whether she will need to step down if crowned. The news of Sai Kung district councillor Angel Chong Nga-ting, 24, joining the pageant contest came to light on Tuesday when she appeared at Tseung Kwan O TVB City for the first round of interviews. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said all district councillors needed to fulfil their duties. 'Every district councillor, regardless of their profession, background or sector, must follow all the requirements of the performance monitoring system,' she said. When asked whether Chong could retain her post if she won the pageant, Mak said: 'First, it depends on the result of [the pageant]. But the principle is that no matter what activities or work this district councillor or other district councillors want to participate in ... they must perform their duties conscientiously.' Chong, who is a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), was appointed as a councillor by the government after the 2023 election, becoming the youngest member in the current term.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miss Volunteer America returns to Jackson, meet and greet scheduled ahead of pageant
Miss Volunteer America is returning to Jackson June 18 through June 21 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center, with 51 state titleholders competing for the coveted crown and a $50,000 scholarship. Preliminary nights will take place from June 18 through June 20, with the winner being crowned on Saturday, June 21. Each night's event will commence at 7 p.m. Opening ceremonies will take place June 15 at The Ned R. McWherter West Tennessee Cultural Arts Center, starting at 3 p.m. Here, the women will be introduced alongside their state princesses in an event that is free and open to the public. More: Miss Teen Volunteer America contestants show diverse talent on opening night More: Miss Mississippi takes home the crown of Miss Teen Volunteer America 2026 Later that day at 7:30 p.m., the contestants will participate in a mix and mingle event at Hub City Brewing. Visit Jackson Interim CEO Beth Bolton says this is an exciting event that goes beyond women walking on a stage, and is more about "the spirit of the competition." "At the end of the day, they've all put in their time on whatever their talent is, their interview, their platform, because more goes into it than just a girl walking across the stage," Bolton said. "A lot of hard work goes in behind it. I think it's exciting, it's fun to watch, it's fun to see, you never know what you are going to see." Bolton said the pageant has an economic impact on the city each year, driving revenue with more people visiting Jackson. Contestants from each state bring their friends, families, and support systems to stay in Jackson hotels, shop at the stores, and eat at local restaurants over the week-long period preparing and competing for the crown. "It's really a huge economic driver for the city, so we're just very lucky," Bolton said. Tickets for Miss Volunteer America can be purchased here. Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here. This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Miss Volunteer America kicks off in Jackson with meet and greet
