Dozen local girls vying for Labor Day Queen

Published 4:37 pm Thursday, August 31, 2017

Twelve local girls will compete this weekend for the title of Labor Day Queen.

Contestants include:

— Cheyenne Martin, a senior at George Rogers Clark High School. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Martin. Her sponsor is Creative Sisters Beauty Salon.

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— Maleaha R. Bell, a junior at GRC. She is the daughter of Crystal Bell. Her sponsor is GSPGM.

— April Collins, a senior at GRC. She is the daughter of Shelia Lewis. Her sponsor is Shaolin Martial Arts Academy.

— Malaysia E. Hill, a senior at GRC. She is the daughter of Turquoise Garrard and Joey Hill. Her sponsor is Moma’s Jean’s BBQ.

— Zy’Anne Strode, a senior at GRC. She is the daughter of Patre Chenault and Steven Strode. Her sponsor is Clean Living Cleaners.

— Zaria Fulz, a senior at GRC. She is the daughter of Coeressa Fulz and Keith Embry. Her sponsor is Upper Cuts Barbershop LLC.

— Ciarah Howard, a junior at GRC. She is the daughter of Shavon Howard and Timothy Strode. Her sponsor is Mosaic Lodge No. 25, Allen Chapel No. 18.

— Catherine Bruton, a junior at GRC. She is the daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Prentice Bruton. Her sponsor is Adams Hill Funeral Home.

— Amari Turley, a junior at GRC. She is the daughter of Martha Miller and the late Michelle Turley. Her sponsor is Joe’s Detail Shop.

— Anyila Chenault, a freshman at Eastern Kentucky University. She is the daughter of Chlandra Chenault. Her sponsor is Golden Link Temple and Shackelford Lodge.

— Torah Blythe, a junior at GRC. She is the daughter of Rhonda and Toron Blythe. He sponsor is Keith P. Clark & Sons Funeral Home.

— Yamia N. Bell, a senior at GRC. She is the daughter of Terri Daniel and Yeremiah Bell. Her sponsor is Yeremiah Bell, retired NFL athlete.

The 2017 Labor Day Queen will be crowned at 11:30 a.m. Monday at Broadway Baptist Church, and will participate in the annual Labor Day parade later that day.

Contestants must all be high school juniors, seniors or immediately graduated, Labor Day Committee member Sherry Hampton said.

Each contestant answers a series of questions, sometimes in essay format or in front of a panel of judges, about topics like empowering youth in Winchester-Clark County, she said.

“We also try to work with the counselors at the high school,” Hampton said.

A queen is selected based on the contestants’ answers.

Each contestant is also sponsored by a local business or organization, Hampton said.

“That is the way the contest was done years ago and we brought that back,” she said.

A Labor Day Queen has been selected in Winchester since 1904, Hampton said.

Beyond the title, the winner will receive a tiara, roses and gifts donated by local businesses.

“We ask them to participate in community outreach programs throughout the year,” Hampton said. “We host a family fun day and the queen will be there to help. We also call on them to help with neighborhood clean ups. We want to keep them involved.

Along with a queen, there are also a Junior Queen, Little Princess and Little Prince, which are nominated by family or local churches and selected by Labor Day Committee before the parade.

This year’s junior queen is Makili Tabor, 11, a sixth grader at Baker Intermediate School, and the daughter of Hillary Tabor.

Zy’Niia K. Tichenor, 6, is Little Princess. She is the daughter of Tacovi and Monica Tichenor. She is a first-grader at Strode Station Elementary School.

Brayden Burton, 5, is Little Prince. He is the son of Trevon Burton. He is a kindergartner at Conkwright Elementary School.

About Whitney Leggett

Whitney Leggett is managing editor of The Winchester Sun and Winchester Living magazine. To contact her, email whitney.leggett@winchestersun.com or call 859-759-0049.

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