BRANDY GRIMES | CONTRIBUTED
CONTESTANTS: The annual Miss Independence Pageant, consisting of young ladies 15 to 18 years old, will be held on Thursday, July 3 at 6 p.m. at the John A. Wilkinson Center in Belhaven. The girls will compete in evening gowns and swimsuits for a $1,000 scholarship. Judges will be grading the contestants based on 7-minute private interviews conducted during the day of the pageant. During the pageant, they will display a creative expression round in which the contestants will portray something that has had a big impact on their lives or what they aspire to be. They will also be judged based on being well spoken, presentation of themselves and their confidence on stage. Pictured are (top to bottom, left to right) 2013 Miss Independence Faith Hudnell, Kaitlyn Tetterton, Cheyenne Franks, Breanna Hudnell, Hope Jarvis, Kara Fath, Amy Arnold and Alexandra Cutler.