Local makes top 10 in state Miss Hospitality
Jessie Henning of Lincoln County was among the top 10 finalists at the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant in Hattiesburg Saturday night.
Thirty-five women competed for the crown, which was won by Bonnie Blue Dulaney of Meridian, a 21-year-old senior at Mississippi State University.
Abby Posey of Neshoba County was chosen as first runner-up.
Representing Lincoln County was Jessie Henning of Brookhaven. She is the daughter of Paul and Deedee Henning and is a 2013 graduate of Brookhaven High School.
Henning is a rising sophomore at Mississippi College where she is studying nursing. She was named to the President’s List her freshman year and holds a 4.0 GPA. She has been chosen as a Blue and Gold mentor, where she will help in a freshmen transition course.
The Miss Hospitality Pageant was started in 1949 by Gov. Fielding Wright to select a goodwill ambassador to promote tourism and economic development across Mississippi.
Dulaney will now spend the next year representing the state at events inside and outside of Mississippi.
Besides Dulaney and Posey, the top five included: Caroline Little of Laurel, second runner-up; Kayla Purvis of Hattiesburg, third runner-up; and Ashley Maiolatesi of Ocean Springs, fourth runner-up.
The other members of this year’s top 10 were Katie Nelson, Ellisville; Nicolet Hopper, Petal; Taylor Ritchie, Pearl River County; and Audrey Griffin, Winston County.