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Hubbard crowned Miss Ky. Teen USA
Though the youngest of 44 girls, North Laurel High School freshman Taylor Hubbard has snagged the crown for the Miss Kentucky Teen USA pageant, an accomplishment that has earned her a $45,000 scholarship.
“I’m still amazed,” she said.
Back in September, Hubbard, 14, decided to try out for the pageant, submitting an application and then undergoing a telephone interview. She’d had experience in pageants before, winning the crowns for Miss Teen Laurel County Fair, Miss Teen Laurel County Homecoming and Miss Teen Chicken Festival in 2008.
A month after submitting her application, she learned she had been selected to compete for the prestigious contest in Danville and work got underway getting her outfits picked out. She chose a light blue bikini for a swimsuit and a simple navy dress for the evening gown category.
“It was very long,” she said of the dress. “I’m 5’11” and I was wearing five-inch heels, and it was still long.”
While she was pleased with her choices, Hubbard still approached the competition light-heartedly.
“I was the youngest one in my division and my age division is 14 to 19,” she said. “I went down there and me and my parents were just going to feel it out this year and come back next year.”
But when the pool of girls was narrowed down to 15 and then five and Hubbard was still in the running, her hopes swelled. During the final round of competition, Hubbard was asked an on-stage question.
“They asked me, ‘What’s your favorite book and why,’” she said. “I said it’s ‘No Heroes.’ It’s a memoir of a man who leaves Kentucky as nothing but comes back as a college professor.”
The answer was a good one and after three days of competition, Hubbard was finally declared the winner. She called her dad David to tell him of her victory.
“I said, ‘Guess what, Dad? I’m Miss Kentucky,’” she laughed.
For her efforts, Hubbard was awarded a $45,000 scholarship to Lindenwood University in Missouri, $5,000 in clothes and $7,000 in dentist cosmetics.
Hubbard will compete in the Miss Teen USA pageant in the summer.
“Hopefully it will be in the Bahamas,” she said.
The competition will mean intensive coaching and fittings for a custom-made gown. Though she already has a packed schedule – she’s a NLHS cheerleader, a straight-A student and on the tennis team – Hubbard is looking forward to the experience.
“I think it’s just meeting all the other girls who have the same interests as me,” she said.
Staff writer Tara Kaprowy can be reached by e-mail at tkaprowy@sentinel-echo.com
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