Laura DeNeen, winner of the Miss Falcon Pageant 2005

Not all pageants are just about beauty. Some go a bit deeper.

On January 20, 2005, AC Flora High School held their annual Miss Falcon Pageant as a fundraiser for their yearbook. The events of the Miss Falcon Pageant were much like any other with casual wear, formal wear, and talent segments. But those segments only accounted for 30% of the contestants’ total scores. The remaining 70% was based on scholarship, character, an interview, an essay, and an extensive service project.

Prior to the contest, AC Flora faculty determined 60% of the contestants’ scores. The remaining 40% was determined by the judges of the evening. The judges included Dr. Sandra Manning, school psychologist and former Richland One School board member; Dr. Dorothy Doniphan, USC art professor; Carol Funnye, staff development specialist; Otis Taylor and John Drake, The State ; and Stokes Liles and Amanda Taylor, The Columbia Star .

Crystal Bibbs, runner–up to Miss Falcon 2005 The evening entertainment began with a vocal performance from the reigning Miss Falcon, Michelle Shirley, a freshman at Columbia College. In between the casual and formal wear portions of the event, several contestants offered their talents, which ranged from singing to dancing to praise dancing.

Contestants for Miss Falcon 2005 pose after completing their opening dance routine The group of young women who participated in the pageant was very diverse. One contestant was from Mexico, another was from Venezuela, and two were hearing impaired. They all had very different talents, points of view, and senses of style.

The winners were Miss Falcon, Laura DeNeen; runner–up, Crystal Bibbs; Miss Senior, Cat Smith; Miss Junior, Guilia Dalbec; Miss Sophomore, Emily Herring; Miss Freshman, Molly McKinney; Miss Congeniality, Cat Smith. The winner of Miss Patron, the young woman who raised the most money for the yearbook, was Gina Wright.