Junior Miss competition begins this week in Frankfort - Kokomo Tribune

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Published: February 20, 2010 10:03 pm      

Junior Miss competition begins this week in Frankfort

Carolyn Konopa, Adeline Jackson will represent the Kokomo area in state program

By DANIELLE RUSH
Tribune staff writer

Carolyn Konopa hopes someday to compete in the reality show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”

This week she will hone her competition skills, representing Howard County in the Indiana’s Junior Miss program in Frankfort.

She will be among 24 young women competing for scholarship money and the opportunity to represent the state in the America’s Junior Miss program, set for June in Mobile, Ala.

Adeline Jackson, Miami County’s Junior Miss, also is among the state contestants. Her career goal is to be a conservation officer.

The high school seniors arrive in Frankfort today and participate in preliminary competition at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday. The finals are at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets will be available at the Frankfort High School auditorium doors.

Konopa, 17, said she’s most looking forward to meeting other contestants and “hopefully being able to challenge myself in the different areas to be the best I can be.”

Junior Miss contestants compete in scholastic achievement, interview, fitness, talent and self-expression.

Konopa’s talent is performing a self-choreographed lyrical dance. She’s been studying dance for 10 years, and has taught dance since she was a high school freshman.

She is home schooled, and has not yet chosen where she will attend college. Konopa said she has applied to six schools, and her top choices are Marymount Manhattan, in New York, and Chapman College in California. She plans to study dance performance.

Konopa said once she is 18, she plans to try out to be on “So You Think You Can Dance.”

“I love that the media is bringing out dance, helping people understand it better. It’s such a positive activity, a great way to get in shape and build confidence through performing on stage.”

Jackson, 18, is a senior at Peru High School. For talent, she plans to perform a dance in front of a piece of her artwork projected onto a screen.

She is looking forward to meeting other contestants and representing her county. She also hopes to win some scholarship money.

Jackson plans to study wildlife management with a minor in art at Purdue University. As one of four daughters, she said scholarships are important to her.

She chose her field of study because “I’ve always loved to hunt and fish and camp,” and her interest in law enforcement comes from attending a national FBI leadership camp as a high school freshman.

Jackson said since she won her local title, she has been practicing her interview skills and her dance. She’s taken dance lessons since she was 4.

Jackson said participating in Junior Miss has helped her grow as a person.

“It’s given me a lot of skills as far as talking in front of people. It’s made me a more responsible person.”

• Danielle Rush is the Kokomo Tribune education reporter. She can be reached at 765-454-8585 or danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com.

  

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