Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship program gearing up for 29th year in Blissfield
BLISSFIELD — With several anniversaries being celebrated this summer in Blissfield — the village’s bicentennial is later this month and this weekend’s River Raisin Festival marks 40 years — one of the most popular events of Blissfield’s summer weekend festival along the banks of the River Raisin is the annual Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship program.
The program, which is the headlining stage entertainment on Friday night of the River Raisin Festival, is Lenawee County’s only local scholarship event affiliated with the Miss America Scholarship Program and the Miss America Opportunity. It, too, is recognizing an anniversary of its own this year.
The Miss River Raisin Festival program is turning 29 years old this year. It begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 12, at the main entertainment pavilion in Blissfield’s Bachmayer Park. It is free to attend and is sponsored by Blissfield BP.
Competition places an emphasis on a candidate’s interview, talent, service and fitness.
The newly crowned Miss Michigan will be featured during the program along with the eight competing candidates and the 2023 Miss River Raisin Festival winner, Samantha McGaughy. Mekeisha Alcock Black, a Forever Miss River Raisin Festival, will serve as the event’s master of ceremonies.
Read about last year's festival program: Adrian College student crowned Miss River Raisin Festival 2023
The next winner of the scholarship program advances to the Miss Michigan competition in June 2025.
In its almost 30 years of existence, the program has awarded nearly $188,000 in college scholarships to Lenawee County women.
McGaughy, who was 21 when she was crowned Miss River Raisin Festival in 2023, was a senior vocal performance major at Adrian College from Okemos in Ingham County. She earned the crown and sash after competing onstage against nine other delegates ranging in age from 18 to 25.
Scholarship program delegates compete in several categories during the competition.
An onstage conversation with the evening’s judges consists of 10% of the delegate’s overall score. A private interview with the judges is 30% of the total score. Accounting for 20% of each delegate's score are evening gown, performing arts talent and the newest category added into Miss America programs, health and fitness, but not with swimwear as was done in the past.
Lenawee County women born from 1997-2007 can seek the title and scholarships offered by the program this year. They are single, young women who meet the age requirement, are residents of Lenawee County or who attend college or high school in the county on a full-time basis or who work at least 30 hours per week in the county.
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Names are now being taken for the 2025 competition. Pre-applications, which detail eligibility requirements, are available by emailing [email protected]. The same email address can be used for those interested in being potential scholarship/fundraising donors. Scholarship dollars come from businesses, fundraising projects by the candidates and committee, and individual donations.
Here are this year’s delegates competing for the title of Miss River Raisin Festival 2024:
Emily Auth, 21, of Blissfield. Junior at the University of Michigan studying applied exercise science. She will present speed painting for her talent and her service initiative is “Grow Through What You Go Through.”
Kindell Covey, 21, of Adrian. Senior at Siena Heights University studying biology. She will recite an original poem for her talent. Her service initiative is “Empowering Youth Today to Lead Tomorrow — Building Youth Leadership Skills.”
Marissa Manley, 19, of Carleton. Junior biology student at Adrian College. She will present a vocal performance for her talent. Her service initiative is “Sharing Sparkles — Suicide Prevention Awareness, Resources and Knowledge: Leading to End the Stigma.”
Emily Maran, 19, of Deerfield. Sophomore at the University of Toledo pursuing legal and paralegal studies. She will perform a dance routine for her talent, and her service initiative is “Love Your Lungs.”
Angelica Pe?a, 19, of Adrian. She is a communications major at Michigan State University. She will present a vocal performance for her talent, and her service initiative is “Anxiety Awareness.”
Ashlee Pelham, 25, of Adrian. She is an Adrian College secondary education/English graduate and is a current graduate student and teacher. She will perform a tap dance for her talent, and her service initiative is “Cultivate Education: Educating Youth on Agriculture.”
Kaylie Simpson, 25, of Adrian. She is an Adrian College athletic training/sports medicine master's graduate and is an elementary ministry director and athletic trainer. She will perform a jazz dance for her talent, and her service initiative is “B.E.I.N.G. There for Youth: Believing, Educating, Inspiring and Nurturing Growth.”
Olivia Wood, 22, of Blissfield and Toledo. Senior interior design student at Eastern Michigan University. She will perform a jazz dance for her talent. Her service initiative is “Wildlife Conservation is the Conservation.”
— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at [email protected] or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship program gearing up for 29th year
