This year has seen both the Strawberry Queen and Junior Royalty pageants take place.
It brought not only new queens, but first maids, courts, a princess, a duchess, and baroness.
However, the competitions were far from over, as another set of young ladies were named the top five in the 2022 Little Miss Plant City. The event was held at Plant City High School on April 30.
A special congratulations to the new:
Queen: Shyla Stanaland
First Maid: Rylie Morris
Court Member: Sutton Duncan
Court Member: Rylan Ham
Court Member: Georgia Sue-Ann Hunter
Court Georgia
Sue-Ann Hunter
1. Q. How much fun was it to prepare for the pageant?
A. I was scared but it was super fun because when I was practicing with my sister, she helped me with a lot of things. She told me I needed to be spunky and smile more, and to have more personality.
2. Q. What was your favorite part of the pageant?
A. Mine was when I was doing my walk, the beauty walk, and I got to see the judges.
3. Q. How did you feel when you were named in the Top 5?
A. It felt good. I was super excited because when I got to see who was going to be there this year with me, I knew that we were going to have fun.
4. Q. Would you like to try out for another pageant in the future?
A. I think I would like to do Junior Royalty.
5. Q. What has the response been from the community after the pageant?
A. My teacher saw it on Facebook and she said ‘Oh my god. I can’t believe you got in.’ I was shocked. I was excited that I got to be court and everyone knew.
6. Q. How do you feel about doing charity work like the Annual Shoe Project?
A. My sister – she got in court for Little Miss Plant City and she told me that it is a big deal and she kept telling me that ‘if you get in, it’s a big, big deal, and that they help the community and help the people that need things.’ I’m excited to do it with my strawberry sisters.
7. Q. As a court member, what are you looking forward to doing?
A. Mine is doing the food bowl for the people. I’m excited to make the bowls for them and do it with my strawberry sisters.
Court Rylan Ham
1. Q. How much fun was it to prepare for the pageant?
A. It was really fun also because my sister also did it, so it felt like I was actually getting to work with someone that was actually in the pageant.
2. Q. What was your favorite part of the pageant?
A.If we made the Top 10 question – that was probably my favorite, because my Top 10 answer let me tell the judges who I was.
3. Q. How did you feel when you were named in the Top 5?
A.When I heard my name called, everything stopped. Time stopped, everything. It was my first pageant, so I was like ‘oh gosh’ and it was really exciting.
4. Q. Would you like to try out for another pageant in the future?
A. I would like to do Junior Royalty and Strawberry Queen.
5. Q. What has the response been like from the community after the pageant?
A. When I walked into my classroom, my teacher told me ‘Congratulations, I heard what was on Facebook.
6. Q. How does it feel to do charity work like the Annual Shoe Project?
A. I’ve lived in this community my whole life and I’m super happy that I get to give back to it, for all it’s done for me.
7. Q. As a court member, what are you looking forward to doing?
A. I’m looking forward to Relay for Life if we’re doing that.
Court Sutton Duncan
1. Q. How much fun was it to prepare for the pageant?
A I love to get dolled up!
2. Q. What was your favorite part of the pageant?
A. I love being backstage, so we can be with our friends and make new friends, and have a lot of fun, and also watch the girls and congratulate them when they get off of stage.
3. Q. How did you feel when you were named in the Top 5?
A. For me it was very shocking. They were counting down the numbers and I didn’t expect to hear my name.
4. Q. Would you like to try out for another pageant in the future?
A. I’ve been doing pageants since I was very little. I would definitely do Junior Royalty again. That was fun. When I get older, I want to become Strawberry Queen.
5. Q. What has the response been like from the community after the pageant?
A. One of my teachers from school was actually there and when I got to school, they were like ‘Oh my God. You did so good.’ All of my friends were congratulating me.
6. Q. How do you feel about doing charity work like the Annual Shoe Project?
A. I’m proud that we’re helping the community and giving back.
7. Q. As a court member, what are you looking forward to doing?
A. I’m definitely looking forward to the parades so we can see how many people support us and love us.
First Maid
Rylie Morris
1. Q. How much fun was it to prepare for the pageant?
A. It was a lot of fun. It was a lot of hard work we had to put in to get ready and cooperate correctly, so we could get it done right.
2. Q. What was your favorite part of the pageant?
A. I felt like meeting with the girls when we were waiting for the pageant was nice. You get to meet them and interact with them.
3. Q. How did you feel when you were named in the Top 5?
A. For me it was very shocking…but also, I was nervous and it was very emotional.
4. Q. Would you like to try out for another pageant in the future?
A. What I would be looking forward to doing next is Junior Royalty.
5. Q. What has the response been like from the community after the pageant?
A. For me, when I walked into school it was like a normal day, but most of the teachers around the school and the safety patrols were like ‘Congratulations. I’m so proud that you got on the court.’
6. Q. How do you feel about doing charity work like the Annual Shoe Project?
A. We’re giving back to the community which I think is very special.
7. Q. As first maid, what are you looking forward to doing?
A. I’m excited for all the events, but I’m also excited about representing this community and setting a good example for other kids.
Queen
Shyla Stanaland
1. Q. How much fun was it to prepare for the pageant?
A. It was a lot of fun. It was also a lot of hard work, but in the end, it all paid off.
2. Q. What was your favorite part of the pageant?
A. I liked the bio walk because you really get to express yourself to the judges. It’s like a longer time to express yourself.
3. Q. How did you feel when you were named in the Top 5?
A. I was shocked. If you saw my picture, you would have seen my facial expression. I could not believe it for a few days. I thought it was a dream, until I realized that I was awake the next day.
4. Q. Would you like to try out for another pageant in the future?
A. For me, I love pageants. I’ve done them for a while. I would love to try out for Little Miss Hillsborough County and my clogging pageant that I do that is hosted by my directors. I would like to do Junior Royalty.
5. Q. What has the response been like from the community after the pageant?
A. The funny thing about it is that my teacher from third grade to kindergarten was there and I got back to school the next day and they were all shocked. My teacher texted my mom and said make Shyla bring her crown and sash and she’ll go on the morning show.
6. Q. How do you feel about doing charity work like the Annual Shoe Project?
A. It makes me feel happy that we can give back to the community and that we can definitely represent this community very well.
7. Q. As queen, what are you look forward to doing?
A. I’m looking forward to the Strawberry Festival, because I love all the fresh strawberries that they have and my grandpa works there. I’m very excited to see him in action.
