Exquisitely Unique Pageant to be held Saturday

The second annual Exquisitely Unique Pageant will be held in the Sportsplex on Saturday, May 13.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. and last until 7 p.m., and admission is $10 per person. Kristy Johnson, Miss Black Mississippi USA 2017, will be the host of the pageant.

The pageant was created in 2016 by Starkville native Sumaya Boyd.

Last year, Boyd said there were 15 girls who participated and about 120 tickets sold. This year, there are 30 girls participating in the pageant and 350 tickets have been sold.

The winner for the 3-year-old to 12-year-old competition will be named 2017 Little Miss Exquisitely Unique, and the winner of the 13-year-old to 18-year-old competition will be named 2017 Miss Exquisitely Unique.

The money from the tickets purchased goes back to the pageant and also into a scholarship.

Last year, there was a $300 scholarship. This year, Boyd said the scholarship should be around $500.

“The goal of the pageant is to motivate girls to continue the hobbies that they love to do,” Boyd said. “Education is the best tool, but they also need other skills … we help them with their social skills, emotional skills, things like that because it takes a lot to do a lot.”

Boyd said she hopes encouraging and motivating girls to be active in the community — whether it is a pageant, talent show, or other activities — will teach the girls to be productive, so they can be an asset to themselves.

Kristy Johnson, Miss Black Mississippi USA 2017, will host the event and also meet the participants.

“She is giving them motivation by talking to them, speaking to them and letting them know how to go about doing things to reach their goals,” Boyd said.