northridgereporter.wordpress.com Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, Al• 35406
April 11, 2014 • Volume 11 • Issue 7
Photo by: Sumona Gupta
Coronation: Savannah Boyd, freshman, Shapyra Butler, sophomore, Mackenzie Millet, senior, D’Erika Lyles, senior, Nicole Trayvick, sophomore, and Lakesha Dailey, freshman, stand on stage while they get crowned Miss Congeniality, 3rd runner up, Miss Northridge, 2nd runner up, and 1st runner up respectively at the Beauty Walk held on April 4 in the auditorium.
Beauty walk contestants more than just beauties Rebecca Griesbach News Editor
T
he auditorium, filled with spectators, housed the annual Beauty Walk presented by the SGA on Friday, April 4. Eager family members sat in reserved seats, waiting to see their beautiful daughters/granddaughters/nieces walk onto the brightly lit stage. Among them was sophomore Shapyra Butler’s grandmother, Vera Horton and mother, Sheila Butler. Butler said “it sure did” take a lot of preparation for the event. “[Shapyra] was not used to walking in heels, so she has been practicing a lot,” Butler said. “She’s been working on her smile as well…” “She already had the smile, though,” Horton interrupted. “She got that from her grandmother. In fact, she learned everything about pageants from her grandmother because her grandmother won all the contests when she was in high school. By the way, I am her grandmother.” Horton, decked out in retro sunglasses and a pair of silver braided buns atop her head, said she competed in numerous pageants at Druid High School where she attended. “I wish they had grandmothergranddaughter fashion shows,” Horton whispered to a friend. Behind Shapyra’s family sat freshman Jonna Whitley’s mother, father and younger sister. Shannon McDaniel, Whitley’s mother, said shopping for the perfect dress was the most time-consuming aspect of getting ready. “I was like, ‘How many dresses do we have to try on?’” added Whitley’s younger sister. “But she’s a sassy princess now.” Another family, supporting freshman Raven Hill, stressed how much work went into preparing Raven for the event. “…getting dresses, fittings, hair,
makeup, everything! It’s been days and days and days, but she enjoyed it,” Stark Hill, Raven’s mother, said. “And we’re gonna be real happy when she wins!” As the program began, Olivia Wilkes, 2009 graduate and a pageant winner, introduced herself as host. She also introduced judges Kristen Brichden, Allysa Holly and Amy Pugh, along with escorts Tracy Braggs and LaCorey Pratcher to the audience. One by one, 12 contestants strutted onto the stage, sporting sparkling smiles and dazzling gowns. “Contestant number three is Shapyra Butler,” Wilkes announced as Butler walked across the stage in a red gown. “She is in the Spanish club, enjoys dancing and reading and plans to attend college at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to study nursing.” As Butler descended back into the curtain, Horton stood up in her high heels and led the audience in applause. After a few more contestants presented themselves, Wilkes introduced “Contestant number seven, Raven Hill.” “Hill is on the softball team and is a Beyoncé fan. She aspires to be a singer or to become a Division One softball player,” Wilkes said. As the last contestant walked onto the stage, the vast differences between the girls was evident; their dreams, values, likes and dislikes varied from one contestant to the next. “Contestant number 13 is Jonna Whitley,” Wilkes said. “Jonna is a member of the French club and the Alabama Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. She wants to become the ‘most fabulous’ veterinarian out there.” Whitley, sporting an elaborate up-do and white bejeweled dress, strutted onto the stage and showed her personality with a sassy smirk. A group of her friends cheered wildly from the back of the auditorium.
Whitley exited and the curtains closed as the judges reviewed their scores, allowing members of the SGA to lead a raffle that involved several surprisingly impressive door prizes. The club managed to receive donations from Soca Clothing (a free pair of jeans), numerous eateries and even gave away a pair of sunglasses. The judges reappeared, and the girls formed a line on stage. Six names were called: Mallie McCleland, freshman, Kayla Johnson, senior, Nicole Trayvick, sophomore, Shapyra Butler, sophomore, Mackenzie Millet, senior, and D’Erika Lyles, senior. The final six contestants were asked to move up, transforming the straight line of 12 into a sporadic zigzag. These contestants would participate in round two, “the question round.” “First up is Miss Shapyra Butler,” Wilkes said into the microphone. Butler reached into a bowl to pull out a strip of paper that read, “Who is your role model?” “My role model is my mom…,” Butler answered, referring to her mother in the audience, Sheila Butler. Applause from the audience ensued as other contestants contrived carefully crafted responses to the questions they were asked. Mackenzie Millet was among them. Millet, a senior, mentor, president of the Jack and Jill club and LAJ Girl of the Year, practices spoken word poetry and aspires to become a psychologist or pageant coach in the future. “My one wish would be instant happiness for those with disabilities because they go through so much pain that they don’t deserve,” Millet said. Sophomore Nicole Trayvick, an FBLA, dance line, and National Society of Black Engineers member, also received a fair amount of applause for her response to “the one lesson she would teach to others.” “...We all make mistakes that we beat
ourselves up for,” Trayvick said. “But we have to learn to try again.” The curtains closed once more while the judges decided on the lucky girl to be crowned Miss Northridge. Wilkes took this opportunity to discuss her experience with pageants. “It’s such a great experience [to be in a pageant],” Wilkes said. “[Pageants] are the largest providers for young women. They encompass scholarship, style, success, and service to allow for a well-rounded contestant. Many of the girls will go on to become CEOs, doctors and teachers.” A lack of a talent portion of the show became evident as the judges reappeared, ready to announce the winner. One by one the winners were announced. Savannah Boyd, freshman, was crowned Miss Congeniality, followed by runner-ups Butler, Lyles, and Trayvick. In the absence of a 2013 Miss Northridge (last year’s beauty walk was called off after little interest was shown), Katrina Struthwolf, Homecoming Queen, was appointed to crown the winners. Each winner was given a bouquet of red roses and Trayvick, first runner-up, received a crown that matched the one atop Struthwolf’s head. “And the new Miss Northridge is...” Wilkes said after asking for a drumroll from the audience. “...Mackenzie Millet!” Millet’s jaw dropped as she received roses and a crown from Struthwolf. Millet showed off her gold, jewel encrusted dress and pearly white smile as she posed for a multitude of cameras. Millet said she was used to the experience because she participated in pageants before. “I received a national title: Miss Black Teen Alabama US Ambassador 2014; I know it’s a long name,” Millet said with a laugh. “But, I’m very excited to win this title.”
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