Miss Judson shows character

When Miss Alabama hopeful Rachel Leigh Hicks electrified the stage with her high-energy clogging routine choreographed to Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire,” the audience cheered. Their enthusiasm was not just for the splendid presentation by Miss Judson 2000, but for her courage in completing the performance.
   
Hicks dislocated her shoulder during her routine earlier in the evening at Samford University’s Wright Center, and was rushed to the hospital. When the emergency room doctor informed her she would have to be sedated for replacement of her shoulder, she refused sedation, protesting that she wanted to return to the pageant to complete her talent. After discussing the situation with Hicks and her parents, the doctor put her shoulder back in place without pain medication.
   
He advised against her returning to the pageant competition, but Hicks said she just wanted to finish her talent, and she didn’t care if she were judged or not. She was concerned about disappointing her family and friends who had come to see her in the pageant.
   
After performing part of her routine in the examining room to convince the doctor she could do her talent without risking another shoulder injury, Hicks returned to Wright Center just as the last contestant was completing her talent. 
   
Hicks completed her talent routine to the cheers of the audience. Although she did not win her preliminary talent, Hicks made a lasting impression on everyone present. One member of the audience said, “This is remarkable, just inspiring. She deserves at least five gold stars for coming back to the pageant and finishing what she started.”
   
Hicks was awarded three scholarships during the Miss Alabama competition. She received the Brookwood Medical Auxiliary Scholarship which goes to a candidate in a medical field of study and attending a college or university in the state. She was awarded a non-finalist scholarship as well as the Amie Beth Dickinson Character Scholarship, funded by the parents of Amie Beth Dickinson who was Miss Alabama 1994. The recipient of this award is chosen based on her platform and the level of character and high morals she demonstrates in her life.
   
Martha Ann Cox, a member of the Miss Alabama board of directors and chair of the scholarship committee, stated, “Although the selection for this scholarship was made prior to Friday’s competition, Rachel demonstrated her tenacity and courage by returning to the stage to finish her talent presentation after she injured her shoulder.”
   
Judson College’s Miss Alabama preliminary also received the state pageant’s award for Outstanding Small School Preliminary Pageant.
   
This award is based on the quality of the school’s pageant script and the set decorations as well as the relationship between the director and contestants. Also judged are the ways the pageant process is conducted and the school’s adherence to the rules of the Miss America Pageant Organization. David Potts is president of Judson College.  (JC)