DURANT — The Miss Southeast Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant and community corporate sponsor, First United Bank, crowned two new titleholders on Sunday, November 20 in Durant. Haley Ellison, a Durant resident and student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University was crowned Miss Southeast Oklahoma and Brittany Trent, a student at Durant High School, was crowned 2012 Miss Southeast Oklahoma Outstanding Teen.

Both young ladies will soon begin preparation to compete in the upcoming Miss Oklahoma and Miss Oklahoma Outstanding Teen competition to be held in Tulsa next June.

Haley Ellison, Miss Southeast Oklahoma, had the opportunity to impress the judges during her private interview, which focused on her platform concerning Domestic Violence Awareness.

She is an active member of the SE campus domestic violence initiative and has been involved with activities that promote advocacy of domestic violence awareness. Haley also won the overall Miss Talent Award and sang to At Last.

She is the daughter of Mark and Kay Ellison of Durant, OK. Brittany Trent, Miss Southeast Oklahoma Outstanding Teen, also impressed the judges during her private interview where she had the opportunity to discuss her platform, Senior C.A.R.E. She hopes to help people regain their lost sense of connection with the elderly population by promoting her program of showing others easy ways to reach out to their elders.

Brittany is a sophomore at Durant High School. She is the youngest daughter of Ronnie and Mandy Trent of Durant, OK.

Runners-up to the Miss Southeast Oklahoma title were: Leslie Taylor, Poteau, first runner-up; Madeline Cole, Norman, second runner-up. Runners-up to the Miss Southeast Oklahoma Outstanding Teen title were: Madysson Morris, Ada, first runner-up; Hannah King, Broken Bow, second runner-up.

The Miss Southeast Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant was able to award the new titleholders with over $30,000 in college scholarships and awards, which will help them prepare for the state competition.

The Miss Southeast Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant, now in its fifth year, is open to young women who reside or attend school South of I-40 and East of I-35. Teens can be 13 years of age, as of pageant date and no older than 17 or a junior in high school.

Miss contestants must be 17 and a senior in high school and no older than 24 years of age. Contestants competed in interview, on-stage question, health and physical fitness, talent and evening gown.

Both Haley and Brittany are available for speaking opportunities and are currently raising funds for the Children’s Miracle Network, the official national platform for the Miss America Organization. You can donate on Haley and Brittany’s behalf at www.missamerica4kids.org. Simply search for a contestant and select Oklahoma and type in their name.

If you would like more information, or to have Miss Southeast Oklahoma and Miss Southeast Oklahoma Outstanding Teen at your event, please contact Executive Director Tascha Bond at 580.775.2928 or tascha.bond@ yahoo.com.