DOWAGIAC — The next group of local royalty will be crowed this Saturday, during the 79th annual Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant.

Ten young women will take the Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center stage that evening, where they will be looking for a spot on the 2018 Miss Dowagiac Court of Honor — and competing for $8,500 worth of college scholarship money.

The pageant — which will feature the theme of “Fearless” — will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at the middle school auditorium, 57072 Riverside Drive. Tickets cost $15, and may be purchased from the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce office, located inside the historic downtown train depot, at 200 Depot Drive.

Over the next week, the Dowagiac Daily News will feature the profiles of this year’s contestants. Up next are contestants 3 and 4:

Contestant 3

Name: Adell Sirk

Age: 18

Height: 5 feet 3 inches

Eye color: Blue

Parents: Shawn and Judy Sirk

Siblings: Ashlee, Beth, Seth, Michael, Shawn, Patrick, Dustin, Payton, Jersey and Trevor

School attending: I’m currently attending Dowagiac Union High School, and the Van Buren Technology Center

Grade: 12th

School activities: Cheer during football for the high school, and construction trades for Van Buren year round

Outside activities: Photography and taking care of my dog

Interests and hobbies: Drawing, writing, photography and construction

Awards and honors: An Outstanding Student award from the tech center, two varsity “D” awards for cheer

Three words to describe me: honest, hardworking and bashful

Ambitions and plans after graduation: My plans and ambitions for after graduation are to either go to SMC for construction, or get into a trade union for an apprenticeship in one of the skilled trades. 

Greatest accomplishments: My greatest accomplishment would have to be going into the construction program, and proving that a girl can work in a male dominated career and do just as well.

Why did you decide to compete for the title of Miss Dowagiac 2018? I decided to compete for the title to give myself more opportunity to give back and to see more of the community that I was raised in.

Contestant 4

Name: McKenzie Cross

Age: 17

Height: 5 feet 4 inches

Eye color: Hazel

Parents: Les and Shannon Cross

Siblings: Deonna Cross

School attending: Dowagiac Union High and Southwestern Michigan College

Grade: 12th

School activities: Student senate, humanities, and Rotary Interact

Outside activities: 4-H, volleyball and waitressing at Pizza Hut

Interests and hobbies: Volleyball, hanging out with friends and family, and working with my animals

Awards and honors: High honors all throughout middle and high school, secretary of the senior class, vice president of the M-40 Hustler 4-H club and president of Jobs for Michigan Graduates class

Three words to describe me: responsible, outgoing and determined

Ambitions and plans after graduation: I plan to attend Southwestern Michigan College to further my education in nursing

Greatest accomplishments: My greatest accomplishments are taking my training wheels off of my bike for the first time, dancing as a little girl on stage, cheering and taking center stage on the mat, running to first base, and crushing the ball over the net. These are small, but my biggest accomplishment is to see and to hear how proud my mom and dad are of me.

Why did you decide to compete for the title of Miss Dowagiac 2018? I decided to compete for the title of Miss Dowagiac of 2018 because throughout my years in high school everyone that has gone out for it said it is a “once in a lifetime” experience. So I wanted to have that “once in a lifetime” experience. That is why I decided to join the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant.