By KIM TRUE
Special to the Star

The 37th annual Apple Festival theme of “Rockin’ in the USA” was the backdrop for the Miss and Jr. Miss Apple Festival pageants Saturday evening at the Niles High School Auditorium.

Out of the five contestants vying for the title of Miss. Apple Festival, Alexandria Hemphill walked away with the crown. Alexandria is 16 years old and attends Buchanan High School were she is involved with softball, students against drunk driving, close-up and the Spanish Club.

When answering her onstage question “What was your favorite part of preparing for the pageant?” She replied “The best part of preparing for the pageant was getting to know four new young ladies and making four new best friends to last a lifetime.”

Alexandria’s parents are Brad and Brenda Hemphill. When asked about her feelings when her daughter was crowned, her mother said she was “excited and proud.”
Alexandria’s court is as equally excited to represent the Four Flags area.

First runner-up Brittanie Ritchey is looking forward to the apple pie eating contest. “It’s so funny to watch and even more fun to be in.”

Brittanie attends Brandwine High School and is the daughter of Gail Aglin and Randy Ritchey.

This was the first pageant Second Runner-up Jade Hoglund has participated in. She entered the pageant to “try something new.” Jade is the daughter of Tracy Hoglund and she attends Niles High School.

Her fellow contestants chose Kaleigh Horvath, Miss Congeniality earlier in the week. A Niles High School student, she has participated in the Jr. Miss. Apple Festival pageant in the past and this was her first year competing in the Miss Apple Festival pageant. She is the daughter of Wiley and Tara Horvath.

Alexandria will have the unique opportunity of going to Miss. Michigan USA or Miss. Michigan Teen USA this year if she wishes.

It is the committees hope that in accepting the offer to become an official recruiter that Miss. Apple Festival would be able to have the chance to acquire more scholarship money and learn more about herself and community in the process.

The title of Jr. Miss Apple Festival 2009 went to 13-year-old, Hannah Montgomery. Hannah attends Ring Lardner Middle School were she is involved in Student Council, National Junior Honor Society and Voices show choir. She was chosen from a group of 19 contestants.

Her top five question was ” What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?” Hannah answered by saying ” To follow your heart and never listen to anyone else.” Hannah’s parents are Jeff and Kellie Montgomery.

First runner-up Presli Ferenczi favorite apple festival activities are  “Riding the rides and eating all of the different foods.”  Presli is the daughter of Steve and Tracie Ferenczi.
The title of Second runner-up went to Roxie Elliott of Buchanan. Roxie  entered the pageant because ” I would like to meet new people, I love this community and I want to give back to it.” Her parents are Mac and Marta Elliott.

Miss Congeniality Madenline Vorrath’s favorite Apple Festival activity is the Lip Sync contest. Madenline has participated in the Lip Sync contest twice.

All of the new royalty will start off the Apple Festival activities this weekend at the Apple Festival Youth Day on Saturday, Sept. 26.