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By MICHELLE LOVE | Staff Writer

HELENA – The auditorium of Helena High School was full of proud parents, grandparents and friends ready to cheer on their favorite contestant in the 2022 Miss Helena High School Pageant on Saturday, Feb. 26.

Twenty-nine contestants in grades ninth through 12th walked across the stage in their best pageant dress for the beauty walk. Contestants were judged based on poise, stage presence, appearance and responses to interview questions.

The pageant was broken up into segments allowing each contestant the chance to present before a panel of judges before the top 12 were announced following intermission. The audience was also treated to performances by the high school’s choral department as well as a special lightsaber performance from the pageant escorts.

Once the top eight were announced, the remaining contestants were asked to answer a randomly drawn question live in front of the judges and audience. Questions included, “What advice would you give students coming into the high school as freshmen?” and “Who in the public eye would you say is the best role model for young girls?”

The crowned 2022 winner was HHS senior Kaitlin Elise Glawson. Her interview question was, “How would you describe Helena to people who have never visited?” Glawson answered by saying she would describe it as a small, tight-knit town where everyone supports each other and gets closely involved with every activity.

“It honestly means everything to me,” she said about winning the crown. “Last year was the first year I did what I thought was good, and so this year I came in prepared as anything. I’ve lived in Helena my whole life. To become Miss HHS as a senior ready to graduate, it’s so meaningful to me.”

After graduation Glawson has plans to go to the University of Alabama to major in fashion design with a double minor in management and marketing. She said she hopes to design her own clothing line in the future and also hopes to get to present her work at New York Fashion Week. In her spare time, Glawson is a member of Helena’s Teen Council. She also models and even walked the runway at New York Fashion Week in 2021.

The following is a complete list of winners from the pageant:

• Miss HHS 2022: Katie Glawson
• 1st Alternate: Kate Hawes
• 2nd Alternate: Abigail Viola
• 3rd Alternate: Jasmine Spratling
• 4th Alternate: Kimberly Bel
• Freshmen Elite: Alyson Ragland
• Sophomore Elite: Anna Beth Goodman
• Junior Elite: Allie Rae Anderson
• Senior Elite: Addie Holcomb
• Most Photogenic: Jasmine Spratling
• Miss Congeniality: Kate Hawes
• Best Escort: Andre Odom

For more photos from the Miss Helena High School Pageant, visit Shelbycountyphotos.com/Events-and-Happenings/2022-02-26-Miss-Helena-High-School/. Use the coupon code “15offmisshelenahigh” for 15% off digital downloads on Miss Helena High photos only; good through March 13th.

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