By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Heading into the Feb. 20 Miss Thompson High School pageant, last year’s winner, Katie Adams, had some simple advice for her sister, Allie.

“I stress about things, and she has always been really laid back,” Allie said. “I was stressing about it all day, and she told me to chill out, clear my head and just be myself. That really helped a lot.”

Although her older sister was the reigning Miss THS, Allie said she originally was somewhat hesitant to enter this year’s pageant. In retrospect, Allie said she was glad she listened to the encouragement of her friends.

“I didn’t really see myself as a pageant person. I originally thought I wasn’t going to do it because I am a shy,” Allie said during a March 2 interview. “But a lot of my friends were doing it, so I decided to give it a try.”

At the end of the process, Allie became the second-consecutive member of her family to wear the Miss THS crown.

Like all other pageant contestants, Allie began preparing for the event weeks in advance. After finding her dress and going over potential interview questions wither friends and family members, she, along with the more than 25 other pageant contestants, spent the week leading up to the event perfecting their choreographed dance routine and rehearsing for the night of Feb. 20.

The day of the pageant, contestants had interview sessions with the pageant’s judges, where they were asked questions such as “What’s the true meaning of beauty?” “Why did you enter the pageant?” “Would you rather have male or female friends?” and “What is one thing high school girls struggle with?”

The girls also answered on-stage interview questions during the event.

“My question was ‘What’s the riskiest thing you’ve ever done?’ My answer was ‘Entering the pageant,’” Allie said with a laugh.

As the field of contestants began to narrow, continually made each cut. Allie said she will never forget the feeling she had when she was announced as the overall winner.

“I never expected it. I was really surprised and really happy,” Allie said, noting her and her sister both won the pageant their first time entering it. “Getting crowned by my sister was really special. I’m glad I got to do that with her.”

Today, there is little evidence of the shyness Allie said she faced before entering the pageant.

“It definitely improves your speaking skills,” she said. “I think that will help me a lot with job interviews in the future. It definitely improves your confidence.”