Montes and Whatley crowned
ARTICLE SUBMITTED
Saturday, Kailee Montes and Victoria Whatley were crowned Miss Camellia 2020 and Miss Camellia’s Outstanding Teen 2020, respectively.
During the Miss Camellia Pageant Organization’s Family Celebration themed event, Montes and Whatley awed the crowd with their spectacular talent selections. Montes belted the aria “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide and Whatley powerfully echoed Sam Cook as she performed the vocal “A Change is Gonna Come.”
Each candidate participating in this Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen preliminary began the competition in a private interview with competition judges, Isaiah Scott, Erica Redding, Brad Jones, Kelly Ward and Tyler Montgomery.
In the private interview, candidates were asked a multitude of various questions and were given the opportunity to discuss their personal platforms. Both newly appointed titleholders are eager to continue promoting their platforms as Miss Camellia and Miss Camellia’s Outstanding Teen.
During her year of service as Miss Camellia, Montes will be promoting The Racing Readers Initiative: Literacy in Action. Her platform is inspired by her very own battle with Dyslexia.
Montes aspires to take the acquired skills and knowledge gained from the win in her battle with Dyslexia and transform those tools into the weapon used to win the war against Dyslexia in Alabama.
“Literacy is crucial to a thriving state. In Alabama alone, one in four citizens is illiterate. As Miss Camellia, I will continue to fight for Literacy Awareness in Alabama and in my own community. Together, we will face the challenges of literacy and rewrite this story,” Montes said.
Whatley is equally as eager to continue promoting her platform Perfect FLAW: Self-worth through Forgiveness, Love, Appreciation and Words while serving as Miss Camellia’s Outstanding Teen 2020.
Through this platform Whatley hopes to bring realization to the fact that no one is flawless and “show how our perfection is in our blemishes, differences and imperfections.”
Whatley said, “By showing youth how to embrace their own flaws they will be able to also accept the differences of others.”
Montes was awarded a $1,250 cash scholarship and $1,500 in-kind scholarship to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, along with many other prizes and first runner-up, Caroline Whatley, received a $500 cash scholarship.
In the OTeen competition, Victoria Whatley received a $500 cash scholarship and many other prizes. The OTeen first runner-up, Caelyn Dolar, received a $250 cash scholarship and the second runner-up, Holly Ferguson, received a $125 cash scholarship.
Montes will compete at Miss Alabama in Birmingham at Samford University’s Wright Hall June 3 – 6, 2020 and Whatley will compete at Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen in Alabaster at Thompson High School March 6 – 8, 2020.
Either or both young ladies are available and eager to speak with groups about their platforms or even share with groups their vocal abilities. If you would like to request an appearance, please contact Miss Camellia Executive Director, Michelle Styron at 334-662-7923.
