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Participants in the Miss LBW Pageant were, from left, Olivia Mikel, Kaylie Threat, Sara Catherine Sansom, Emma Clair Strength, Khloe Craig, Hannah Smith, and Emma Poore. (PHOTOS BY MAGGIE MASH)

Emma Clair Strength is crowned Miss LBW by last year’s winner, Rhian Grayson.

The Top Three from the LBW Pageant: from left, Sara Catherine Sansom, first alternate; Miss LBW Emma Clair Strength; and second alternate Khloe Craig.

Miss LBW Pageant winners with LBW President Dr. Brock Kelley. Pictured from left are, Kelley, Miss LBW Emma Clair Strength, First Alternate Sara Catherine Sansom, and Second Alternate Khloe Craig.

Miss LBW 2024-2025 with LBW President Dr. Brock Kelley.

Miss LBW 2024-2025 Emma Clair Strength waves to the audience upon receiving the crown.

Miss LBW 2024-2025 is Emma Clair Strength.

First Alternate Sara Catherine Sansom with Dr. Brock Kelley and 2023 Miss LBW Rhian Grayson.

Second Alternate Khloe Craig with Dr. Brock Kelley and 2023 Miss LBW Rhian Grayson.

Emma Clair Strength, left, receives the Interview Award from Rhian Grayson.

Sara Catherine Sansom, left, receives the People’s Choice Award from Rhian Grayson.

Sara Catherine Sansom, left, receives the Self Expression Award from Rhian Grayson.

Sara Catherine Sansom, left, and Emma Clair Strength won the Spirit Award.

Khloe Craig receives the Talent Award from Rhian Grayson.

Emcees for the pageant were Alyssa Bozeman and Hugh Stovall.

A total of seven young women competed in the 2024-2025 Miss LBW Pageant on Thursday, Nov. 21, and freshman Emma Clair Strength of Highland Home was announced as the winner.

Strength received a $3,000 LBW scholarship, won the Interview category, and was one of two contestants selected for the Spirit award.

“When I heard my name being called, it was truly a pinch me moment. I felt God’s presence in such a powerful way, and a wave of gratitude came over me. I immediately started crying because I felt as if God had revealed my purpose and I was filled with pure joy,” Strength said.

Strength currently serves as an LBW Ambassador and officer at the Greenville campus. She will continue her ambassador duties in her new role as Miss LBW with plans to advocate for young women’s mental health.

She started competing in pageants at the age of five as a kindergartener in Highland Home School’s Teeny Miss Pageant

“Receiving the title of Miss LBW means the world to me. For me, this is an open door to the life that I have dreamed of. Through being Miss LBW, I will be able to represent the school that I love and also spread the word of God. I will also use my title to hopefully encourage young women and girls my age to reach out for help when they need it and be their best self on and off of the stage,” Strength said.

Her favorite part of the competition was building lasting relationships with the other contestants.

“The aspect I enjoyed most about competing in Miss LBW had to be the friendships I made along the way. When it began, I only knew a couple of the girls, but I am now leaving with friendships that I hope never end,” she said.

Strength’s talent for the competition was performing a monologue from the 2023 movie “Barbie” by Greta Gerwig.

“The original monologue was performed by America Ferrera, and it won her the People’s Choice Award for Movie Performance of the Year. I was inspired by the nature of the film, as I felt it spoke to the young women like me who struggle with feeling like they are not good enough or that their emotions do not matter. My monologue highlighted women’s mental health and how important it is to be who you truly are,” she said.

The monologue was not Strength’s first time speaking on the stage. Her previous experience gave her the chance to utilize those public-speaking skills for her talent.

“From having speaking experience from Future Business Leaders of America all throughout middle and high school, I felt like I was truly in my element. I have always enjoyed using my voice to make an impact on someone’s day. I felt that I was able to do just that with my talent.”

She added that one of her favorite parts of the day was the interview.

“The judges made it a point to make me feel comfortable. They asked questions that helped me to reveal who I truly am to them. I could not have asked for a better interview experience.”

Originally from Highland Home, she graduated from Highland Home School in May. She is the daughter of Misty Dean and Jake Strength and is the youngest of her siblings: Kaydra, Brandon, Peyton, Alyssa, Daniel, Everette, and Sanderson.

Upon graduation from LBWCC, Strength’s future plans are to transfer to Troy University in the fall of 2026. She plans to major in Business Administration and minor in Marketing with a goal to become a social media marketing director.

Despite winning two categories, she said she felt it was important to prepare for all areas of the competition.

“Being confident is extremely important in performing well on stage or in an interview setting. In my opinion, preparing well can make all of the difference in having confidence,” Strength said.

Strength gave credit to the Lord and her sister, who competed in Miss LBW eight years ago, for helping her reach this moment.

“God has given me the gifts that I have and helped keep my head above water when it feels like I cannot stay afloat. He truly is the reason I have made it this far. My sister Kaydra is also one of the biggest reasons I gained the title of Miss LBW, so that is what has made me want to be Miss LBW since I was 10 years old. She taught me how to carry myself and pick out the perfect dress. For that, she truly is my biggest role model,” she said.

Sara Catherine Sansom, a freshman from Andalusia, was named as the first alternate, winner of the Self-Expression category, and selected as People’s Choice and a recipient of the Spirit Award. The People’s Choice award was new to this year’s competition and voted on by the audience. All proceeds from the vote will go toward the SGA and other LBW student activities.

Khloe Craig, a sophomore from Andalusia, was named as the second alternate and won the Talent category with a vocal “When Will My Life Begin” from “Tangled.”

Additional participants were Olivia Mikel, a sophomore from Andalusia; Emma Poore, a sophomore from Birmingham; Hannah Smith, a freshman from Jack, Alabama; and Kaylie Threat, a freshman from Spanish Fort, Alabama.

LBW Director of Student Activities and Community Engagement Katie King was the pageant director. Alyssa Bozeman and Hugh Stovall emceed the event.

“Emma Clair is the epitome of a Saint. Her positive energy and joy for life is contagious. I am so excited to see what this year brings for her and LBW,” King said.

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