Miss Shelby County returns July 15

The 2017 Miss Shelby County Pageant will be at Shelby County High School in Columbiana, July 15 at 7 p.m. Contestants must be between the ages of 17 and 23 and live, work or go to school in Shelby, Jefferson, Coosa, Bibb, Chilton, Talladega or St. Clair counties.

The Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen Pageant also will be held that evening, and the winner will receive a $500 prize.

Admission is $15 and includes a program book.

The pageant is produced annually by the Vignette Club, a women’s organization formed in Columbiana in 1950. The Miss Shelby County Pageant offers college scholarships and is affiliated with the Miss Alabama and Miss America pageants.

Three former Miss Shelby County winners have gone on to become Miss Alabama, and Deidre Downs Gunn — Miss Shelby County 2000 and Miss Alabama 2004 — was the winner of the Miss America pageant in 2005.

Hayley Barber was crowned Miss Shelby County in 2015 and will help crown a new winner in July. She has worked during the year to support children with vision impairments.

“Miss Shelby County is an opportunity to grow and push yourself to learn more about yourself, your community, your state and your country,” Barber said.

The deadline to enter is July 8.

Entry forms, contestant checklist and other information are available at missshelbycounty.com. For more information, contact Pam Oliver at 283-1893 or poliver@shelbyed.k12.al.us.