Miss Metro Cori Keller won the title of Miss Arkansas 2023 Saturday night at the 85th Miss Arkansas Scholarship Pageant. The pageant took place at the Robinson Center in Little Rock in front of a sold out crowd.
Keller won a $30,000 scholarship provided by the Ted and Shannon Boy Skokos Foundation and more than $75,000 in awards, wardrobe, transportation, and gifts. She will represent Arkansas at the Miss America competition and will make appearances across the Natural State promoting her personal platform of “Feeding the Future: Collaborative Solutions to Hunger” and speaking in support of the goals of the Miss Arkansas and Miss America system. Keller was crowned by the outgoing Miss Arkansas, Ebony Mitchell, of Conway
Over $180,000 in scholarships were awarded throughout the week to various miss contestants.
Keller is the 25-year-old daughter of Lynn and Tracy Keller of Stuttgart. She is a 2020 Cum Laude Graduate of Arkansas State University where she received a degree in exercise science. She received her master’s degree in mass communications (Radio/TV) from Arkansas State University in 2022. Keller was working as a ESPN Freelance Sports Commentator, an Account Executive for CJRW and a Dance Coach at MKDS. For her talent, she performed a tap dance to “Workin.”
Our new Miss Arkansas also won the following awards during the week: *Preliminary Evening Gown
*Bill Tarkington Overall Evening Gown
She takes home a total of $33,000 in scholarships from all the awards she won this week. The other Top Five Finalists were: 1st runner-up (receiving a $15,000 scholarship sponsored by Dr. Rhys Branman, Cosmetic Surgery Center, Exhale Med Spa): Historic Batesville Camille Cathey
2nd runner-up (receiving a $10,000 scholarship sponsored by the Former Miss Arkansas Association) : River Valley Callie Scherrey
3rd runner up (receiving a $8,000 scholarship sponsored by CDCM – Susie Morgan): Diamond Lakes Brooke Bradford
4th runner-up: (receiving at $6,000 scholarship sponsored Don & Robin Houseworth): Dogwood Kennedy Holland
**Additional information on all candidates can be found at missarkansas.org**
The Semi-Finalists finishing 6th - 15th will each receive a $1,500 scholarship sponsored by Kendra Scott, The Jim and Kay Hinkle Family, Glen Eskola in Memory of Heather Callicott and the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation.
They are listed in competition order: *Arkansas State University Riley Strube *Ouachita River Melody Stotts *UCA Jada Simpson *Ozark Mountain Apple Dennie *Boomtown Blair Wortsmith *South Arkansas Anna-Marie Wright *Spirit of Arkansas Hannah Hagerman *Greater Little Rock Sophe Sligh *Central Arkansas Ciara Callicott *Ouachita Baptist University Haley Shourd Additional awards announced during Saturday’s pageant:
*Buddy Coleman Memorial Overall Talent - $3000 scholarship given by Buddy Coleman Family – Greater Jacksonville Nia Renee Kelly *The Ebony Mitchell “Grace, Impact & Resilience” Scholarship, in the amount of $1000 and provided by Danny Tucker and Thomas Marvel: Historic Batesville Camille Cathey
*Sarah Slocum Overall Private Interview - $3000 scholarship given by Renee and Don Ed Fronabarger – Diamond Lakes Brooke Bradford
*Overall On-Stage Conversation Award - $2500 scholarship given by Dr. Michael Cooper –Diamond Lakes Brooke Bradford
*Bill Tarkington Overall Evening Wear - $2500 scholarship given by Sharon and Johnny Bale – Metro Cori Keller
*Overall Health and Fitness Award - $2500 scholarship given by Pafford Health Services – Historic Batesville Camille Cathey *The Grace Award, in the amount of $1,000 and given in memory of Madelyn Grace Johnston by Brad Lacey: Historic Batesville Camille Cathey *The Melonie McGarrah Overall Vocalist Award, in the amount of $2000 and provided by Miss Arkansas 1996 Melonie McGarrah Moore: Greater Jacksonville Nia Renee Kelley *Overall Dance Award in the amount of $1000 and provided by Violet’s Formal Wear / Stephanie Oelschlaeger: UCA Jada Simpson
*The Overall Service Above Self Award, in the amount of $1000 and provided by the Miss Arkansas Executive Directors Association: Dogwood Kennedy Holland
*The CJ and Frances Wilson Non-Finalist Overall Talent Award, in the amount of $1000 and provided by CJ Wilson: Greater Jacksonville Nia Renee Kelly
*The Non-Finalist Overall On-Stage Conversation in the amount of $1000 and given by Michelle Parham Rudolph: Apple Blossom Kelsie Everett
*The Mary Jane Mullins Non-Finalist Interview Award, in the amount of $500 and provided by Dr. Patti Mullins: Northeast Arkansas Piper Stallings
*The People’s Choice Award in the amount of $1000 and provided by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation and JC Productions: Greater Hot Springs Aishani Vengala
*The Non-Finalist Dance Award in the amount of $500 and provided by Danielle Crafton Crain and Austin Crain: Western Arkansas Isabella Soto
*The Toni & David F. Rankin Overall Instrumentalist Award, in the amount of $1000 and provided by Beth Ann Rankin: Greater Little Rock Sophe Sligh
*The Non-Finalist Vocalist Scholarship, in the amount of $500 and provided by the Miss Arkansas Local Former Titleholders Association: Greater Jacksonville Nia Renee Kelly
*The Ashlen Batson Espirit De Corp Award, in the amount of $650 and provided by Bill Tarkington and Mike Spivey: Henderson State University Gabriella Tidwell
*The June Felix Overall Alpha Interview Award, in the amount of $1000 and provided by Vicki Rima: Diamond Lakes Brooke Bradford
*The Tara Rushing Overall Alpha Evening Gown Award, in the amount of $1500 and provided by The Rushing Family: Historic Batesville Camille Cathey
*The Catherine Raines Sims Overall Alpha Talent Award, in the amount of $1000 and provided by Raines Family Dental Office: Dogwood Kennedy Holland
*The Mac Sisson Overall Alpha On-Stage Interview Award, in the amount of $1500 and provided by Rusty and Lori Hart: Diamond Lakes Brooke Bradford
*Alpha Overall Health and Fitness Award, in the amount of $1000 and provided by Pafford Health Services: Historic Batesville Camille Cathey
*The Congeniality Award, in the amount of $750 and provided by Ken & Laurie Henderson: Sweetheart of Arkansas Dawn Coffman
*The Dreamer Award, in the amount of $750 and provided by Simone Mull Sellstrom: Greater Jonesboro Erin Davis
*The “All Grown Up” Scholarship, in the amount of $500 and provided by the Schluterman Family: Historic Batesville Camille Cathey
#KissHeart DiseaseGoodbye 3rd Place, in the amount of $400 and provided by Kristy Sapp / KISS Products: Greater Little Rock Sophe Sligh
#KissHeartDiseaseGoodbye 2nd Place, in the amount of $400 and provided by Kristy Sapp / KISS Products: Boomtown Blair Wortsmith
#KissHeartDiseaseGoodbye 1st Place, in the amount of $700 and provided by Kristy Sapp / KISS Products: Historic Batesville Camille Cathey
***Each candidate not finishing in the Top 15 will also receive a $400 scholarship courtesy of the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation!!***
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