NAUW - Crowley Branch holds 35th Annual Royalty Pageant

The NAUW - Crowley Branch’s Annual Royalty Pageant marked its 35th year on Saturday, May 14.
The event saw George Orphey named as Master NAUW. Orphey is the son of Natalye Goffney and was sponsored by Dr. Ezora J. Proctor.
Climon Leroy Hall Jr., who is the son of Dorothy Bates and was sponsored by Cynthia Winbush, was named as Lil Master NAUW. LaDarius Damon, who is the son of Danielle V. Damon and who was sponsored by Debira Broussard, was Lil Master NAUW first runner-up.
Named as Lil Miss NAUW was Alayah Charles, the daughter of Tanika and Marvin Stevens Jr. She was sponsored by Cheryl Shelvin-Lewis.
Jer’Ryiah Andrus, the daughter of Mary Jane Broussard and Jerrell Andrus and sponsored by Betty M. Gums, was first runner-up, and Avyanna Freddie, the daughter of Raven Trahan and Troy Freddie and sponsored by Meridian Vallery, was second runner-up.
This year’s pageant was held in the Grady E. Poullard Multi-Purpose Center at Israelite Baptist Church in Crowley. Myrtle R. Cain served as mistress of ceremony for the evening, the theme of which was “Crowning our Future.”
Following an invocation by Hilda Jones, Winbush, president of the Crowley Branch, greeted the crowd, and Dr. Michelle Calloway introduced the 2015 royalty.
The 2016 royalty was introduced by Cain and each contestant performed for the “Talent Alive” portion of the pageant, which was conducted by Lewis, Jocelyn Portier and Sonjatina Wilridge. Gums and Vallery presided over the Grand Coronation.
A tribute to the royal court was given by Shelda Kelso, after which Dr. Proctor and Shelvin-Lewis, who served as pageant chairperson, presented reflections on the pageant and the royalty’s representation of the NAUW - Crowley Branch at the International Rice Festival in the fall.
Following the awarding of door prizes, those in attendance enjoyed a Green and White Reception.