The Miss Rowan County Scholarship Pageant committee is currently seeking contestants to compete for the titles of Miss Rowan County and Miss Rowan County’s Outstanding Teen at its Nov. 12 event. The event will be held at A.L. Brown High School’s Kannapolis Performing Arts Center, 415 E 1st St., Kannapolis.

Young women ages 17 to 23 who live, work or attend school in Rowan, Cabarrus, Stanly, Davie, Davidson, Alamance, Forsyth, Guilford and Randolph counties are invited to enter and compete for the title of Miss Rowan County. Miss Rowan County 2017 will be eligible to compete for the title of Miss North Carolina in June of 2017, in which the selected winner will move on to compete in the 97th Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, NJ.

Miss Rowan County 2017 will also win a $1,000 educational scholarship, plus possible in-kind scholarships from local colleges and educational institutions and various other prizes gifts and awards. The first runner up will receive a $200 educational scholarship and the second runner up will be awarded a $100 scholarship. There is no entry fee to compete for Miss Rowan County and contestants will compete in the areas of interview, swimsuit, talent, evening wear and on-stage questions. Miss Rowan County will make multiple appearances throughout her year of service including participation in the Holiday Caravan Christmas Parade, Farmer’s Day, the Woodleaf Tomato Festival, local school visits and many other community events.

Young ladies ages 13 to 17 from any county in North Carolina, who are no more than a junior in high school, are eligible to compete for the title of Miss Rowan County’s Outstanding Teen 2017. The winner of this title will go on to compete in Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen, where a winner will be chosen to compete in the national Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando, Fla. Participants will compete in the areas of interview, fitness, talent, evening wear and will answer an on-stage question. The winner of Miss Rowan County’s Outstanding Teen will receive her fees paid to the Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, possible in-kind scholarships from local colleges and education institutions and various other prizes and gifts.

As part of the Miss Rowan County program, girls ages 6 to 12 from any county in North Carolina can participate in a Carolina Princess mentorship opportunity. This is not a competition, and as a participant in this program girls will be paired with a Miss or Teen contestant to share the pageant experience with. They will participate in a dance production number during the Miss Rowan County pageant, be recognized on stage and in the Miss Rowan County program book and will be a special guest at the Miss Rowan County Carolina Princess Tea Party, where they will have the opportunity to meet Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen 2016. Participants will also be given a crown, gift bag and organization T-shirt.

The Miss Rowan County Scholarship Organization is a registered 501(c)4 nonprofit volunteer organization. The deadline for entry in all Miss Rowan County programs is Oct. 23, and participants interested in entering should contact info@missrowancountypageant.org for an application and information on upcoming meetings. Scholarship sponsors and volunteers are also encouraged to contact the organization for more information on partnership opportunities.