Miss Michigan Competition to be held June 18-21

Frauenthal Theater in Downtown Muskegon to Host Pageant

June 18, 2008
By: MyBayCity Staff

The Miss Bay County Organization is proud to announce Katie LaRoche will be competing against 24 contestants from around Michigan to take the title of Miss Michigan 2008.

Linda Bilhimer, Executive Director of the Miss Bay County Scholarship Program is impressed with the caliber of this year's contestants. "We are very pleased with the number of intelligent, ambitious and talented young women who have entered the competition," Bilhimer said. "With the number of outstanding contestants, it will be a challenging task for the judges to choose the next Miss Michigan. "I'm so proud of Katie and all of her accomplishments." Katie just graduated form Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Degree.

Contestants will compete in 5 phases of competition at the competition, including interview, talent, evening wear, on-stage platform question and swim wear. During the competition, each contestant will also discuss her chosen platform, a social or community issue of concern to herself and our society at large. Katie's Platform is Poverty, Our Reality. For Katie's talent she will be doing a Character Dance "Life with Harold."

In order for a young woman to compete in the Miss Michigan Program, they must have won a local program. Currently, the Miss Michigan Program has 22 local programs that send contestants to the state program, and Michigan sends one of our finest ladies to Vegas to compete for the Miss America Organization, where over $40 Million dollars in cash scholarships are made available to the 52 state title holders.

Parents of Katie are Kirk and Linda LaRoche of Bay City.

During the week of Miss Michigan Events, we have two young ladies representing us in the Michigan Outstanding Teen Pageant. Miss Bay County Outstanding Teen Rachael Riness, daughter of Brandy Tilley and Tom Rinness of Bay City and Miss Bay County Junior Miss Erica Decker daughter of Julie and Christopher Decker of Saginaw. Michigan Outstanding Teen Competition is June 18-21.