By Taren Powell
Four local young women competed in the Miss Utah’s Outstanding Teen Pageant over the weekend. Local participants included Miss Carbon County Outstanding Teen Ivy Beecher, Miss Emery County Outstanding Teen BrinLee Hurdsman, Miss Southeastern Utah Outstanding Teen Blayr Bennett and Miss Castle Valley Outstanding Teen Tatum Tatton.
The competition was hosted at the Covey Center for the Arts in downtown Provo beginning on Thursday, Feb. 24 and concluding on Saturday, Feb. 26. There were 42 contestants, and they competed in four categories, including private interview, talent, onstage question and evening gown, and lifestyle and fitness in sportswear.
Bennett and Hurdsman were two of the top eight contestants to compete for the Teens in Action Scholarship. Contestants interviewed and presented their Social Impact Initiative to a panel of judges. This extra interview paid off for Hurdsman as she was awarded the $500 Teen’s in Action Scholarship. Hurdsman was also the 11th grade classification runner up for a $250 academic scholarship.
Bennett was the winner of a $500 academic scholarship for the seventh through ninth grade classification. Bennett’s success didn’t stop there; out of the 42 contestants, she was one of the top 15 finalists where she was given the chance to compete in the talent, onstage question and evening gown, and lifestyle and fitness routine one more time.
Although Jocelyn Osmond, Miss Alpine, was the newly crowned Miss Utah’s Outstanding Teen, the local teens gave it their all and represented our area well.
