Warner Robins pageants held at Homer civic center
The 2016 Miss Warner Robins and Miss International City pageants were held at the Homer J. Walker Civic Center on Saturday.
Also included in the evening were the teen counterparts, Miss Warner Robins Outstanding Teen and Miss International City Outstanding Teen. The pageant for the younger girls was held earlier that day.
Mandolyn Howard was crowned Miss International City Outstanding Teen. Howard is a 16-year-old who attends Jefferson County High School. Her talent was tap and she also won the Lifestyle and Fitness award. Faith Ayala was the talent winner and the first runner-up.
Grace Thomas was crowned Miss Warner Robins Outstanding Teen. Also 16, Thomas attends Houston County High School. Her talent was singing, for which she earned the talent award. Anna Grace Pope won the lifestyle and fitness award and was second runner up. Anna Claire Brown was first runner-up, and Kate Keifer was third runner-up.
In the Miss portion of the pageant, Caroline Burnette was crowned Miss International City. A sophomore at Georgia Southern University, Burnette is 19 years old and grew up in Statesboro. She is majoring in public relations and minoring in child and family development.
Burnette’s talent is ballet. She has taken lessons for 13 years and now teaches dance in Statesboro.
The pageant was her first win; Burnette just started participating in the Miss Georgia system pageants in the past year.
“I have heard great things about the board and the town. They take care of their girls, prepare them well for Miss Georgia. Since I am new at pageants it seemed like the best to start,” said Burnette.
Burnette also won the lifestyle and fitness award. Sydney Hillman won the talent award and was named first runner-up. Katy Bland was second runner-up.
Tess Hammock was crowned Miss Warner Robins. A 21-year-old senior at the University of Georgia where she is studying agricultural communication, Hammock also won the talent award. While originally from Forsyth, Hammock has extended family in Warner Robins and has spent a substantial amount of time here.
The Miss Warner Robins pageant was her first Miss Georgia prelim pageant. Working as an intern at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association, Hammock said she was inspired by a visit by the then reigning Miss Georgia Maggie Bridges.
“She walked into the room and had a light about her. She was disciplined, talented and beautiful, and I knew that I wanted to do that for myself.”
Inspired to enter a Miss Georgia preliminary pageant, Hammock dedicated herself to preparing for Miss Warner Robins.
“I am really looking forward to where we need to go from here. I want to continue to get in shape, work diligently on my platform and talent and bring the Miss Georgia title to Warner Robins for the second year in a row,” said Hammock.
In the Miss Warner Robins pageant, Caroline Rowland was named first runner-up and Kathleen Hlavaty won the lifestyle and fitness award.
Earlier in the day, the pageant for the younger girls was held. Crowned Miss Preteen Warner Robins was Kandice Lumpkin; Junior Warner Robins, Lily Barfield; Little Warner Robins, India Margaret Cheek; Tiny, Zoey Elser; and Teeny, Liddie James Harrell.
Alline Kent can be contacted at allinekent@cox.net or 396-2467.
This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Warner Robins pageants held at Homer civic center ."