Durant- The Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant and community sponsors, First United Bank and Red Door Events, crowned two new titleholders on Saturday, November 14 in Durant. Katy Caudle, a native of Ada and a student at Oklahoma State University was crowned Miss Southeastern Oklahoma and Alex Leonard, a student at Idabel High School, was crowned 2010 Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Outstanding Teen. Both young ladies are preparing to compete in the upcoming Miss Oklahoma and Miss Oklahoma Outstanding Teen competition to be held in Tulsa in June.Katy Caudle, Miss Southeastern Oklahoma, had the opportunity to impress the judges during her private interview, which focused on her platform, Read to Succeed. Her goal is to help elementary students realize that reading can be a very enjoyable experience and to help place books in the hands of children that would otherwise not own books. Katy is a secondary education major at OSU and has aspirations to obtain a Master’s of Education and become an English teacher. Katy also won the overall Miss Talent Award and performed a lyrical dance to Phenomenal Woman, a poem by Maya Angelou. She is the daughter of Kelly Caudle and Stephen Caudle of Ada.Alex Leonard, Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Outstanding Teen, also impressed the judges during her private interview where she had the opportunity to discuss her platform, Nutrition in Schools. Alex is ranked fifth in her sophomore class academically and is also a member of the National Honor Society. She has been a People to People Student Ambassador the past four years and is a member of Student Council. Alex has taken dance since the age of three and has also danced at the Radio City Music Hall in NYC. She performed a jazz routine to Looking Good for her talent. She is the daughter of Mitchell and Caccie Leonard of Idabel.Runners-up to the Miss Southeastern Oklahoma title were: Kayla McKee, Idabel, first runner-up; Courtney Maye, Haworth, second runner-up; Rachel Denison, Idabel, third runner-up; Jozey Begley, Atoka, fourth runner-up.Runners-up to the Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Outstanding Teen title were: Chelsea Walker, Ada, first runner-up; Kristen SaeLim, Broken Bow, second runner-up; Cheyenne Cunningham, Broken Bow, third runner-up; Tari Adams, Broken Bow, fourth runner-up.The Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant was able to award the new titleholders with over $16,000 in college scholarships and awards, which will help them prepare for the state competition. The Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant, now in its third year, is open to young women who reside or attend school South of I-40 and East of I-35. Teens can be 13 years of age, as of pageant date and no older than 17 or a junior in high school. Miss contestants must be 17 and a senior in high school and no older than 24 years of age. Contestants competed in interview, on-stage question, health and physical fitness, talent and evening gown.Both Katy and Alex are available for speaking opportunities and are currently raising funds for the Children’s Miracle Network, the official national platform for the Miss America Organization. You can donate on Katy’s behalf at www.missamerica4kids.org. Simply search for a contestant and select Oklahoma and type in Katy Caudle.If you would like more information, or to have Miss Southeastern Oklahoma and Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Outstanding Teen at your event, please contact Executive Director Tascha Bond at 580.775.2928 or tascha.bond@ yahoo.com.Titleholders: (left to right)Katy Caudle, Miss Southeastern Oklahoma and Alex Leonard, Miss Southeastern Oklahoma Outstanding Teen.
