Butler County's Junior Miss Program will be back and better than ever this year.

That's the word from the county's Junior Miss Scholarship Program Committee.

The local committee, which is re-organizing and re-vamping the program, is looking for more alumni and community involvement with the local Junior Miss event.

&#8220Junior Miss is such an excellent program and a great scholarship opportunity for high school senior girls,” said Starla Jones of the Butler County Junior Miss Program.

&#8220We would love to see more people in our community support this very worthwhile program. We also want to see more of our Junior Miss alumni get involved.”

This year's event, &#8220Shine with Junior Miss,” is slated for 7 p.m., September 8, 2007. It will be returning to its earlier home, the historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Greenville.

The program features competition in the areas of scholastics, interview, self-expression, talent and fitness, as well as an essay contest on how to &#8220Be Your Best Self.”

One girl will be chosen as Butler County's Junior Miss and go on to compete for the coveted medallion and valuable scholarship monies at the state level. Elisa Campbell of Fort Dale Academy was selected to represent the county at last year's event.

Local winners will take home cash scholarships for winner, first and second runners-up, and category awards.

&#8220Many schools offer cash scholarships to girls simply for competing at the local level. That is how highly the Junior Miss program is viewed,” Jones said.

Committee members have been canvassing local high schools this spring and applications for the 2008 program can still completed via the Web site, www.ajm.org.

Deadline for all applications is June 30.

An orientation is slated for 9 a.m. to noon on August 18 at the YMCA.

&#8220We are very excited about the upcoming program and the young ladies who have already applied,” Jones said.

&#8220We look on this as a new day for Junior Miss.”