The Daily Record
Meet The Queens: Area’s Miss N.C. Contestants
By KEILAH GOFF
Of The Record Staff
Today, the 41 contestants vying for the title of Miss North Carolina 2016 will make their first public appearances of pageant week at the historic North Carolina Executive Mansion.
In that group will be several local young ladies eager for the opportunity to represent the Tar Heel State on stage in Atlantic City, N.J., this September.
Miss Dunn, Sami McDaniel, was crowned last January, but she is no stranger to the Miss North Carolina Pageant. She competed wearing the crown as Miss Moore County 2015.
When the Miss Dunn Pageant returned to the stage October 2014 — after a 30- year hiatus — the winner, Kate Peacock of Dunn, went on to win the Miss North Carolina Pageant and compete for the Miss America title. She was the first Miss Dunn to ever win the state pageant.
“It’s not put more pressure on me,” said Sami about following in Kate’s footsteps. “If anything, it’s made me want to work harder, since she left such big shoes to fill. It’s made me want to live up to her standards and work harder to be Miss North Carolina.”
Sami, the 18-year old daughter of Scott and Sheryl McDaniel, has studied piano for about 12 years and will perform “White Water Chopsticks” as her talent Friday night. Her competition begins tomorrow with the interview, followed by evening gown and on-stage question Wednesday and life-style and fitness/ swimsuit on Thursday. She has worked See Contestants, Page 3
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hard for the chance to shine on stage at Saturday’s final, and credits the Miss Dunn committee for helping her prepare.
“Dunn has already been so supportive,” she said. “Last year, we had Miss North Carolina come from Dunn, so they really have expected a lot out of me, and made sure that I’ve been where I needed to be. They have helped prepare me for Miss North Carolina and Miss America and made sure that I am ready to go.”
Sami is a rising sophomore at Campbell University, studying public relations.
“I want to hopefully do PR for a Fortune 500 company in Raleigh, because about 15 support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and that is the platform for Miss America,” she said.
She says she is excited about her chance at the Miss North Carolina crown.
“I am ready to check in and see all the girls from across the state, because, even if I don’t walk away as Miss North Carolina, I know that I get to come home and represent the greatest city in the state.”
Also representing Dunn in Raleigh this week is Savannah Culbreth, Miss Dunn’s Outstanding Teen 2016.
Savannah, daughter of Dedra Culbreth of Eastover and a rising senior at Cape Fear, is looking forward to the experience of representing Dunn on the Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen stage.
“Since Jan. 16, the day I was crowned, it’s been the best experience ever,” said Savannah. “I love Dunn. I love the people of Dunn. They have gone out of their way just to make sure I feel happy and loved in their little town — the All-America City. I am just so blessed because not a lot of committees are as good as the Dunn committee.”
Following today’s check in, Savannah’s preliminaries schedule includes the interview tomorrow and fitness on Wednesday — Savannah’s least favorite round.
“Fitness is not my favorite,” she said, laughing. “Y’all should pray for me on Wednesday night with fitness!”
Thursday is Savannah’s opportunity to wow the judges with her outstanding talent, singing “Gimme Gimme” from the Broadway musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
“I am really excited for my talent, because as a singer, I spent a lot of time trying to perfect all my movements. I got my costume made for it, and it is beautiful.”
Friday will be her evening gown portion, leading into Saturday’s final.
In addition to the judged events, each day is packed from beginning to end with rehearsals and photo shoots.
“We have rehearsals from the time we get up in the morning until about an hour and a half before the pageant,” said Savannah. “It’s an action-packed day from the time we wake up.”
“A big thank you to everyone on the Miss Dunn committee for making me feel prepared and ready for #NCOTeen2016,” she added. “I love them and I love everybody in Dunn. I am so blessed to have this experience.”
Both Sami and Savannah were recognized during the June Dunn City Council meeting, where Mayor Oscar Harris proclaimed them Honorary Hostesses for the City of Dunn, sending them off with the best wishes of the city.
Also from the area is Miss Spivey’s Corner, 23-year old Jocelyn Naylor of Angier. She is a graduate of Harnett Central High School and N.C. State University with a degree in agriculture business management.
As part of her platform, called PLANT — Promoting the Livestock and Agricultural Needs of Today, Jocelyn visits schools and helps young students plant what she calls Crop in a Cup — butterbean seeds in cups to take home to help them learn where their food comes from. She has also spent much time visiting major farms, to observe food safety from seed to table.
Miss Spivey’s Corner’s Outstanding Teen, Tyler Albright is a rising sophomore at Triton High School. The 14-year-old is the daughter of Brian and Tammy Albright of Dunn.
Tyler’s platform — T.Y.LE.R. (Teaching Young Leaders Everything about Reading) — led her to collect and distribute 2,500 books to primary schools across the state as part of her reading-literacy platform.
Tyler has studied piano since she was 8, and will perform “Journey of the Comets” for her talent.
“She is very excited and appreciative of all the support from the community,” said Mrs. Albright.
Miss Benson, Crystal Byrd is a native of Fayetteville and attends Fayetteville Technical Community College. She has been involved with the Miss North Carolina pageant since the age of 10.
Her platform, K.I.N.D Indeed “Kids In Need Dance Indeed,” is a nonprofit organization she founded to give underprivileged children dance lessons to help them with physical ability, emotional maturity, social awareness and cognitive development.
Miss Johnston County, Elizabeth Brickmeier is from Benson.
Elizabeth chose to advocate for victims of human trafficking through her platform H.O.P.E. (Help, Outreach, Positivity, Education).
Elizabeth is a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, majoring in speech pathology, and has been dancing since the age of 2.
Peyton Brown of Dunn, a rising sophomore at Triton High School, will represent Miss Greater Sandhills’ Outstanding Teen. Her platform is called C.A.R.E. About Domestic Violence: Changing Attitudes Require Everyone!
Preliminary competitions begin June 22 through 24 at 7:30 p.m. and conclude with the crowning of Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen 2016 June 25 at 2 p.m. and Miss North Carolina 2016 at 7 p.m.
The event will take place in Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.
