Crowning Miss RHS: Ellie Kerby wins 2018 pageant

Bright lights and loud applause surrounded senior Ellie Kerby as she was crowned Miss RHS 2018 the night of March 2. It was a close competition between the five seniors: Alison Bryant, Destiny Cooper, Rachel Griffin, Ellie Kerby and Cecilia McLemore.

“The whole thing was super exciting,” Kerby said.

Although Kerby dazzled the judges and was awarded the top prize, fellow seniors were also honored with titles. McLemore received the award for Most Photogenic; Bryant and McLemore tied for Best Interview; Kerby and McLemore tied for Best Evening Gown; and Kerby won the Talent competition.

Kerby’s rise to the top began with her interview, at 2:45 p.m. that afternoon. She said seniors were given a five-minute interview, while the younger competitors had three-minute interviews. Kerby said the questions were based on their applications along with other topics each judge selected.

“My interview went very well. There weren’t any questions that I couldn’t really answer,” she said.

The Evening Gown portion was also held before the pageant that night. Kerby said competition was based on more than just the dresses the girls wore.

“It’s about the dress and the way you walk, holding your shoulders back and not being clumsy in heels,” she said.

Kerby has participated in Miss RHS for three years now, and she said she developed some superstitious tricks over time. She has worn the same dress, styled her hair the same way and used the same tablecloth in her dressing room all three years in an attempt to “keep the mojo going.”

For the talent portion of the evening, Kerby performed a musical theatre dance to “Life of the Party” by Idina Menzel. It’s a dance she also used when she competed in Distinguished Young Woman, at which she won the Bruce Triftshauser Service Award.

“I already had it choreographed, so I didn’t have to practice it too much,” Kerby said.

That wasn’t the last of Kerby’s appearance on stage that night, though. She also performed in the group number “Girls of Rock” by Addie’s Flip Tip and Tap dance company.

“I’ve done competitions and recitals that were crazy with multiple back-to-back performances, so this wasn’t too bad,” she said.

Kerby said she is excited she gets to come back next year and crown the next Miss RHS.

Mclemore was named first alternate, and Bryant was awarded second alternate.