CARIBOU — Courtney Sheldon, daughter of Chip and JayLynn Sheldon of Caribou, was named Miss Caribou 2014 during the scholarship pageant on Sunday afternoon at the Caribou Performing Arts Center.
First runner-up was Victoria Keaton, daughter of Michael and Susan Keaton of Caribou, and second runner-up was Jessika Kovach, daughter of Dennis and Karen Kovach of Woodland.
The Caribou Lioness Club sponsored the annual Miss Caribou Scholarship Pageant; Sheldon received a $500 scholarship, Keaton received a $200 scholarship and Kovach was awarded a $100 scholarship.
During the pageant, Sheldon performed the song “All of Me” by John Legend and accompanied herself on the piano. During the gown walk, emcee Betty Walker asked Sheldon to “tell us more about your issue of concern that is on your mind?”
The new Miss Caribou responded: “Discrimination is the mistreatment of a group of people or individual based on race, gender, and in my case, religion. An example of this would be me trying to read my Bible during school, and was actually asked to put it away because it was inappropriate. Another example of this would be when one of my friends, a student, wanted to read the book ‘A Christmas Pageant’ but it mentioned the name of Jesus and was said to be inappropriate, and was asked to choose a different book. We’ve come so far in equal rights, but we’ve actually taken a huge step back in Christian ones. I believe it’s important to have Christian rights, and I believe that it’s important for me to stand up for what I believe. I believe Christians should have the same rights as anyone else, any other faith, in the school system.”
First runner-up Keaton sang the song “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables during the talent portion of the pageant; Walker asked Keaton to “Tell us a little bit more about your platform ‘Spread the Word to End the Word.”
Keaton replied: “’Spread the Word to End the Word’ is an organization that promotes the end of the hate speech word, the “R” word, which is “retarded.” They’re possibly doing this because it’s important to tell our communities how the hate word is so offensive to people such as my family —my brother has an intellectual disability — and it’s not only offensive to us, it’s degrading to the people who have this disability.”
Second runner-up Kovach performed the song “Who I Am” by Jessica Andrews during the talent portion. During the gown walk, Walker asked Kovach to “Describe for us your passion to the issue of concern with regard to drug and alcohol use in Aroostook County.”
Kovach responded: “My passion is to have young children understand that drugs are not good, and to say ‘no’ to drugs. And through my hopeful steps into the law enforcement community, I will be able to help those children understand how bad drugs are for you.”
Performing her last duties as Miss Caribou was Hannah Hebert, who co-emceed the pageant with Walker. In addition to performing a ballet routine and crowning the new Miss Caribou, Hebert took a moment to call pageant co-director Bonnie Bouchard to the stage, thanking Bouchard for all her work with the pageant “And everything you’ve done for me,” Hebert said.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie De La Garza
Miss Caribou’s new crown is beautiful — but Miss Caribou 2013 Hannah Hebert was having a hard time affixing the regal attire on new Miss Caribou Courtney Sheldon’s head; the two queens laughingly took it in stride. Teen Miss Caribou Kelsey Kiehn is pictured at right.
