FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 12, 2007
Contact: Joshua Hollis
(662) 329-7119

Pennington crowned Miss W 2007

   
COLUMBUS, Miss. – Dreams came true on Saturday, Feb. 10, as Carrie Pennington was awarded the crown of Miss W and received the chance to compete in the Miss Mississippi Pageant in July.
   
Pennington, a junior English education major from Caledonia, also received an $800 scholarship and a $500 wardrobe allowance.

Her platform was “Raising Awareness for Premature Birth” and she played Beethoven’s famous piece “Fur Elise” during the talent portion.
   
Contestants competed in swimsuit, talent, evening wear and interview categories.
   
Lindsay Frost, a sophomore marketing major from Bankston, Ala., won first runner-up and received a $500 scholarship.

If Pennington is not able to complete her reign as Miss W and cannot compete in the Miss Mississippi Pageant, Frost will take her place.

Frost, whose platform was adoption awareness, sang during the talent portion.
   
Stephanie Frake, a junior culinary arts major from Geismar, La., won both the Miss Congeniality Award, voted on solely by her fellow contestants, and the Martha Jo Mims Exceptional Interview Award.
   
Frake’s platform focused on finding a cure for breast cancer. She sang and played guitar to an original song during the talent portion of the competition.
   
Miss W 2006 Ashley Owen-Beard performed an interpretive dance as well as assisted with the interview segment. Sarah Weatherby, crowned Lowndes County Outstanding Teen at last year’s pageant, performed “Home” from “The Wiz.” Last year, Weatherby sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz.”