New reigns begin as Miss Blackberry Queens are crowned
Published 12:04 pm Thursday, November 16, 2023
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor
The 2023 Miss Blackberry Queens were crowned inside Jemison High School on Nov. 4 to begin their year of reign as queens. Braden Ann Burch was crowned the new Miss Blackberry Queen at the pageant, followed by Allie Fulmer as the Junior Miss Blackberry Queen, Adleigh Caroline Ash as the Young Miss Blackberry Queen, Madilyn Burnett as the Little Miss Blackberry Queen and Camden Craig as the Tiny Miss Blackberry Queen.
The pageant featured two parts for the participants to prepare for — the walk and the interview. Burch said the most challenging, and nerve racking, part of the pageant was the interview portion, which was done in a group with all of the participants taking turns speaking to the judges. Burch’s parents helped her prepare for the interview portion in the weeks leading up to the pageant, and the newly crowned queen said all of the participants did well during the interview portion.
“When I walk on stage I do not get nervous, but I get nervous when I talk in front of adults,” Burch said. “My parents would ask me random questions about pageants, and I would try to come up with whatever on the top of my head. The interview is what I prepared for the most.”
Burch was confident in how her walk went, and as she waited for the announcement to be made, she was not sure if she would hear her name or not. In the end, it was called.
“I thought I did well, and my walk was pretty good, but I did not have confidence in the interview,” Burch said. “I was really excited (to hear my name called) because I get to meet new people, and getting to meet them and be a part of the community (is exciting).”
As the new Miss Blackberry Queen, Branch will represent the City of Jemison and the Jemison Lions Club, as well as Petals From The Past and its annual Black and Blueberry Festival. As her reign begins, Burch said she wants to become more responsible and get a calendar to help her keep up with all of the events she will be attending throughout the year.
Burch is currently a junior at Chilton County High School and is the class officer for the junior class and a member of the Beta Club. Burch played basketball last season for the Tigers, but stepped away to focus on working at Peach Park, and her new duties as Miss Blackberry Queen.
2023 Miss Blackberry Queen Pageants Results
Miss Blackberry
Queen: Braden Ann Burch
1st Alternate: Caylene Bice
2nd Alternate: MaKaila Fayth Crumpton
3rd Alternate: Blakeley Elizabeth Sneed
4th Alternate: Lindsey Wilson
Photogenic: Caylene Bice
Junior Miss Blackberry
Queen: Allie Fulmer
1st Alternate: Elizabeth Gray
2nd Alternate: Hannah Grace Avery
3rd Alternate: Ellie Grace Carroll
4th Alternate: Olivia Katherine Driver
Photogenic: Jaylee Alexa Smith
Young Miss Blackberry
Queen: Adleigh Caroline Ash
1st Alternate: Alaina Brooke Oldroyd
2nd Alternate: Paisley Carroll
3rd Alternate: Haisley Ann Shannon
4th Alternate: Cortlyn Wargo
Photogenic: Haisley Ann Shannon
Little Miss Blackberry
Queen: Madilyn Burnett
1st Alternate: Maddilyn Lucas
2nd Alternate: Mollie Kathryn Robinson
3rd Alternate: Callie Jane Headley
4th Alternate: Emmarie Kaye Vickers
Photogenic: Emmarie Kaye Vickers
Tiny Miss Blackberry
Queen: Camden Craig
1st Alternate: Trahely-Ann Smith
2nd Alternate: Mary Alice Hollinger
3rd Alternate: Khloe Elizabeth Merritt
4th Alternate: McKinley Little
Photogenic: Camden Craig