Crowning achievement: Madi Wilde named All-American Girl

Eight contestants took the stage at the annual All-American Girl Pageant this weekend and Madi Wilde walked away crowned All-American Girl.

Since 1972, the pageant has showcased local high school talent and served as the Graham High School Thespian Society and Theatre Department fundraiser. After celebrating its 50th year in 2021, the pageant made its return this year with a few changes.

What has traditionally been a two-day event was merged into one day, with participants meeting the judges the morning of Saturday, Feb. 24. Later that evening, a talent section and promenade were held at Memorial Auditorium in Graham.

The judges for this year’s event were Jack Cody, Bronwen Choate and Connie Carrey. All three had historical connections to the first pageant over 50 years prior.

“Connie Carrey was the first ever All-American Girl that was ever crowned. Mr. Cody and Mrs. Choate came up with the idea for the pageant together. So the original founders, basically, of this pageant are all involved in the judging this year and I think that is so exciting,” GHS Theatre teacher Katie Huitt said in a previous interview. “It’s such a cool opportunity for us to come full circle in a really neat way.”

During the talent portion of the pageant, participants danced, sang and played instruments for the public. Huitt said that the pageant is a unique opportunity for the students.

“It’s always really rewarding and it’s always a great fundraiser for our department. So we really love the opportunity that it gives (the participants) also to just find a special moment where you get to present something that you don’t need anybody else for. It’s just relying on yourself and relying on your own power and your own voice,” she said.

Participants this year were Emily Clark, Katie Parker, Lainey Herring, Abrianna Clay, Bayleigh McGee, Sophie Rodgers, Kenzie Kline and Wilde. Clark was named Miss Congeniality, Rodgers was named the talent winner and Parker was named the contestant who showed the most bravery.

The event was emceed by GHS Thespian Society President Sara Peyton Dospapas and Vice President Rylee Ranger. The theater director said the entire production is organized and presented by those with the Thespian Society.

“Our stage manager, our lighting and sound crew, all of our running crew, the escorts, the ushers and basically everybody that’s in charge of helping put this together is part of our Thespian Society, and they’re really excited about it and they are really committed,” she said.

The funding raised from the pageant goes to the theater department’s activity fund and also funds scholarships for graduating thespians at the annual GHS scholarship ceremony.

Huitt said the event allows different groups of high school students to come together, with some of the students involved having nothing to do with the theater program.

“It’s a great opportunity and experience for different people from different groups and different cliques, that don’t usually overlap a lot, to get opportunities to build friendships and to work together to do this together,” she said.