Pictured: Front L-R Little Miss SC Denyiah Young, Tiny Miss SC Molleigh Talbert, Back L-R U.S United Queen of Queen Shamieka Sims, Ms. SC Tangela Kitchens, Teen Miss SC Mary-Louise Hawkins, Mrs. SC Nannette Hawkins

Local Queens earn State Titles

Shamieka SimsContributor

Five young ladies traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, February 22nd to represent South Carolina in the North Carolina/South Carolina U.S. United state preliminary pageant. The contestants were Little Miss Winnsboro Denyiah Young, Teen Miss Winnsboro Mary-Louise Hawkins, Ms. Fairfield County Tangela Kitchens, Mrs. Winnsboro Nannette Hawkins, and Tiny Miss Blythewood Molleigh Talbert. Vying for their state titles, the competition included a five-minute panel interview, onstage fun fashion wear, and formal wear. This was the first year that the U.S. United pageant system offered a state preliminary along with North Carolina.

This preliminary mission was to provide a monetary donation to flood victims in North Carolina via the organization Second Responders. Contestants collected online votes for one dollar each hoping to be crowned the Caring Hands award, and during the pageant, a check was presented to the organization for $400.00. The South Carolina contestants were not disappointed. Mary-Louise Hawkins received first runner up for the Caring Hands award and each contestant earned their state titles. The group will travel to Atlanta, Georgia July 18-21 for the national pageant, until then you can catch them around the state making appearances.