BUCHANAN — Jade Smith, 18, placed her hands over her mouth in disbelief, but they could not stop a smile from breaking through.

Smith was crowned Miss Buchanan 2020 Saturday evening at Buchanan High School’s auditorium, 401 W. Chicago St. She became the 81st queen, succeeding Emily Riley, who placed her crown atop Smith’s head.

“It was shock. It was pure shock,” Smith said. “It took a second to process, but once it happened, my emotions took over.”

Smith’s court could not hold back their emotions like her, either. First and second runners-up — Lucille Arbanas, 17, and Austynn Dalton, 17 — broke out in smiles. Miss Congeniality Shailin Golden wiped away tears.

“In my head, I was thinking, ‘This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not happening,”’ Arbanas said. “It felt like it was the regular day with the girls, another practice, another run.”

The pageant, themed “Fall, the Greatest Season to be in Buchanan,” hosted a number of events that had been in the Buchanan-based contest for years, such as a group dance, presentations and a formal farewell to Miss Buchanan 2019 and her court.

It also featured new additions. In the past year, Miss Buchanan, Inc. and numerous sponsors typically provided scholarships to Miss Buchanan and pageant contestants. This year, scholarships were given to each participating woman.

Contestants also had to share the most valuable lesson they will take away from the pageant and what followed. The contestants were unprepared for the question, and each answered it without hearing any other woman’s answer.

Golden said it was being able to get to know people from across southwest Michigan. Arbanas being supportive to friends she made.

Dalton and Smith said the lesson was to be kind to everyone, with Smith adding that no one can truly know what others are going through.

Smith said she received kindness from her fellow pageant members during the time they prepared together. She was self-conscious when she did not wear her glasses, she said. Her peers helped her gain confidence and believe in herself.

On Saturday, she participated without her glasses in front of a packed auditorium that rippled with cheers of encouragement to all participants.

Participating in a pageant was not initially on Smith’s radar, but through the encouragement of her friends, her parents and an aunt that participated in Miss New Buffalo, she decided to try it out.

Her nerves were high as she prepared to enter her private interview prior to the public pageant, but Smith said as soon as she sat down, she regained her composure. Then, she took that confidence into the pageant itself.

After the crowning, Smith said she was looking forward to dancing at the coronation ball that followed at the American Legion Post 51, then, later, being able to meet other queens and courts from other communities.

“I love making new friends, and I love meeting new people, so I’m really looking forward to it,” she said.

Whether it be through personal greetings or waves from a float, second runner-up Arbanas is looking forward to meeting people, too.

“It’s really, more or less, just trying to spread some happiness into the community,” she said.

First runner-up Dalton is looking forward to supporting her fellow court members and the queen.

“I’m so excited. I’m at a loss for words,” she said.

So, too, was Miss Congeniality Golden. She did say, however, that she was “amazed” to find out she was going to be crowned and was excited for everything in the year ahead.

“I’m very, very grateful for all the friends and family that supported,” she said.

As Buchanan royalty take part in numerous public events throughout the county, Smith will also prep for another pageant, the Miss Blossomtime Festival, in March at St. Joseph High School. There, she will compete against queens from other communities in hopes of being crowned Miss Blossomtime.