Miss Louisiana Pageant Week kicks off in Monroe: A look at the 2024 contestants
The Miss Louisiana Organization launched pageant week for the public Monday by showcasing the 32 contestants participating in the 2024 competition.
The young women were formally introduced at a news conference at the W.L. "Jack" Howard Theatre in the Monroe Civic Center.
"On behalf of the Miss Louisiana Organization board of directors, the board members, volunteers, I would like to welcome you to Monroe once again, to kick off the 61st Miss Louisiana competition," Miss Louisiana Organization Executive Director Dewana Little said. "Thirty-two beautiful young women will be competing for the title of Miss Louisiana 2024, and one of these young women here will be crowned at the Jack Howard Theatre on Saturday night, and we certainly hope you will be join us."
The 2024 Miss Louisiana contestants are Aliyah Armstrong, Sadie Brown, Jacie Brent, Shelby Bordelon, Kate Creech, Enia Gardener, Jesse Foshee, Lake Carpenter, Lily Gayle, Sachari Henderson, Liliana Geier, Olivia Grace George, Ashley Hodges, Anna Claire Lemoine, Megan Magri, Katherine McCullars, Felicia McGill, Gabrielle McLeod, Courtney Patterson, Brionna Plummer, Kobi Plainting, Nilla Pollard, Madison Simms, Kaylyn Murphy, Elyce Thomas, Hannah Reeder, Anna-Katherine Thompson, Maison Wilbanks, Antionette Van, Katelyn Yopp, Leah Thompson and McKenzie Young.
Makenzie Scroggs, a Marksville native and dance major at Northwestern State University, currently holds the title of Miss Louisiana.
"This has been a dream of mine ever since I was 7 years old," Scroggs said. "I used to sit on the couch and watch Miss Louisiana and Miss America with my mom's preliminary crown on my head, just dreaming of the day it would be my turn to be like the real models in front of me. This is a dream of all of ours since I was little girl. It was my mom's dream to go to Miss America, and I told her as a kid, 'Don't worry, I will bring you. I will be Miss Louisiana, and we'll go together. We were able to fulfill the dream together. I couldn't have done any of that without you.
"To the contestants, I think I've gotten to know each, and everyone of these 32 girls. They're so talented, so amazing. Louisiana's going to be in great hands, because these girls are absolutely amazing, and to the next Miss Louisiana, you're going to have the year of a lifetime. I know she's listening, one of these girls. You're going to have the year of a lifetime. Take it all in, because it's going to go by way too fast."
Sponsors of this year's competition include the City of Monroe, University of Louisiana Monroe, Discover Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana Propane Dealers, Vantage Health Plans, Towne Place Suites Marriott, Governor's Office of Tourism and New Beginnings Wellness Center and Spa.
Preliminary competitions will be 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday. The pageant finals will be at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Jack Howard Theatre and televised statewide.
Here's where you can watch the 2024 Miss Louisiana Competition
On Saturday, the Miss Louisiana Competition will broadcast on the following stations at 8 p.m.
Monroe: KNOE/CBS
Baton Rouge: WBTR/ABC
Lake Charles and Lafayette: KATC/The CW
Morgan City, Thibodaux and Houma: KWBJ
New Orleans: KWB
Shreveport: KBJX/The CW
The competition also will be streamed live at misslouisianalive.com.
Follow Ian Robinson on Twitter @_irobinsonand on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3vln0w1.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Miss Louisiana Pageant kicks off in Monroe, 32 contestants introduced
