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On Saturday, the Langdale Auditorium in Valley was filled with an audience gathered for the 2022 Little, Young, Pre-Teen, Junior Miss Vallerata beauty pageant involving girls in pre-K through the eighth grade. The event was held as a fundraiser to pay for the Valley High School cheerleading team to attend a national competition in Orlando.

The announcers at the event were Valley High School seniors Cayden Peacock and Emma Williams. Both are varsity and competition cheerleaders at the school.

Peacock and Williams introduced contestants in order from youngest to oldest. The Little Miss contestants were Lucia Huynh, Harper Elmore, Josie Caroline Jarrell, Elizabeth Conway, Paisley Story, Sydney Scott, Zoe Ann Thrower and Sydney Grace Smith.

In this group, Elmore won the people’s choice award and photogenic award. The pre-K beauty was Huynh, and the kindergarten beauty was Story. The second runner-up was Smith, and the first-runner up was Thrower. The 2022 Little Miss Vallerata winner was Scott.

Scott is six years old and attends kindergarten at Shawmut Elementary School.

“She is a brown haired, blue eyed beauty whose favorite color is light blue,” Peacock said of Scott. “She enjoys cheerleading, gymnastics and vacationing with her family at the beach. Her favorite food is cake, and her favorite TV show is “Mako Mermaids.” When she grows up, she wants to design jewelry. Sydney would surprise her grandmother by buying her some beautiful antiques because she loves her so much.”

The Young Miss contestants were Olivia Gregory, Khyli Alaya Arrington, Chloe Paschal, Presley Grace Dickinson, Mary Margaret Robinson, Skylar Andrews, Bryleigh Kelyse Jackson, Kolbie Conway and Harper Hudmon.

Andrews won the people’s choice award, while Dickinson won the photogenic award. The second-grade beauty was Conway, and the first-grade beauty was Andrews. The second runner-up was Hudmon, and the first runner up was Dickinson. The 2022 Young Miss Vallerata winner was Gregory.

Gregory is six years old and attends first grade at Fairfax Elementary School.

“She is a blond haired, blue eyed beauty whose favorite color is purple,” Williams said of Gregory. “She enjoys riding horses, cheering, tumbling and being the best big sister ever.”

Gregory’s favorite food is tacos. When she grows up, she wants to be a barrel racer. She would like to surprise her mom with flowers and candy.

The Pre-Teen Miss contestants were Zarhiya Spratling Peterson, Kadence Grace Hopkins, Gabrielle Carter, Baylee Skye Whitehead, Sailor St. George, Rickie Skylar Andrews, Sky Vallia, Emma Bell, Ella DaNeal Siggers, Payton Makynzie Earl and Izzie Williams.

Peterson won the people’s choice award and photogenic award. She was also the third-grade beauty. The fourth-grade beauty was Andrews, and the fifth-grade beauty was Williams. The second runner-up was St. George, and the first runner-up was Hopkins. The 2022 Pre-Teen Miss Vallerata winner was Earl.

Earl is 10 years old and attends fifth grade at Huguley Elementary School.

“She’s a blond haired, blue eyed beauty whose favorite color is blue,” Peacock said of Earl. “She enjoys gymnastics, riding horses and playing softball. Her favorite food is pizza, and her favorite TV show is “Big City Greens.” When she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian. If Payton could surprise anyone, she would take her two best friends on a cruise because they have never been on a boat before, and she knows they would have a blast.”

The Teen Miss contestants were Hadley Helleso, Harmonee Scott, Ansley McKay Carter, Skyler Mackenzie Davis, Greenlee Dabbs and Lynlee Danyel Pinkard.

Scott won the people’s choice award, while Carter won the overall people’s choice award and the photogenic award. The sixth-grade beauty was Helleso, the seventh-grade beauty was Davis and the eighth-grade beauty was Pinkard. The first runner-up was Dabbs. No second runner-up was announced. The 2022 Teen Miss Vallerata winner was Carter.

Carter is 12 years old and attends seventh grade at W. F. Burns Middle School

“She is a brown haired, brown-eyed beauty whose favorite color is blue,” Williams said of Carter. “She enjoys softball, cheerleading and spending the summertime at the beach with her family. Her favorite food is the chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A, and her favorite TV show is “Outer Banks.” When she grows up, she wants to be an archeologist. Ansley would like to surprise her younger siblings because she loves to see them smile.”