By CONNIE NOLEN / Community Columnist

Senior Brooke Goldman won Miss PHS last Saturday night. On Tuesday, Goldman said, “I’m still in shock! I never thought that I would actually win, but I really do like my crown.”

While the very lovely Goldman did win a lovely crown, she wasn’t the only winner at the Miss PHS pageant. Fifty-four young women competing for the crown won new friends, confidence, interview skills and the admiration of the crowd.

“Participating in Miss PHS allowed me to get to know people that I had never had the chance to talk to before,” said senior Faith Mote.

One senior, Cara Speegle, even gained her own fan club. Speegle’s friends surprised her by wearing T-shirts featuring her photo.

“My amazing friends made signs and shirts to support me at the pageant,” Speegle said. “Their ear-piercing cheering definitely helped me. They were great!”

More than a dozen young men also took supporting roles on the stage serving as Miss PHS escorts. Two senior escorts, Jim Flaniken and Tanner Smith, also served as entertainers for the evening, playing respectively the violin and the piano as Tanner performed a vocal number. The jazz band, along with soloist, Meghan Farrell, rounded out the evening’s entertainment.

Each year, the Miss PHS pageant becomes a celebration of the beauty, intelligence and talent of our kids. Beautiful, talented and intelligent PHS alums hosted the pageant as well. Pelham alum and English teacher, Keith Beard, made his successful emceeing debut with Miss Alabama 2009 Liz Cochran.

Cochran returns to Pelham High School’s stage on Saturday, Feb. 12 when she hosts With Every Beat, a dance showcase benefitting The American Heart Association and Children’s Hospital. The event promises performances featuring Cochran, the PHS Pantherettes, and dance studios including Exclusively Dance, Dance Et Cetera, Corky Bell, Dale Serrano and Tap Toe and Twirl. School dance teams from Oak Mountain, Spain Park, Hoover, Thompson and Chelsea will also perform.

The PHS show choir will perform a song and one dance will also feature PHS Pantherette returning alumni.

A performance from PHS junior and local musician Carson Sumpter promises to make the evening even more memorable. Make plans to attend With Every Beat at Pelham High School’s auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.

Admission price is only $5.

Connie Nolen can be reached by e–mail at CNolen@Shelbyed.k12.al.us.