Adrian College student crowned Miss River Raisin Festival 2023

BLISSFIELD — “Once a Miss River Raisin Festival, always a Miss River Raisin Festival.”

Lenawee County’s only local scholarship event affiliated with the Miss America Scholarship Program and the Miss America Opportunity, welcomed its newest titleholder into its exclusive group of women during Friday’s Miss River Raisin Festival scholarship program during Blissfield’s annual River Raisin Festival.

Samantha McGaughy, 21, a senior vocal performance major at Adrian College from Okemos in Ingham County, earned the title of Miss River Raisin Festival 2023 becoming the 28th Lenawee County resident or student to earn the crown and the sash.

McGaughy became this year’s Miss River Raisin Festival after competing onstage against nine other Lenawee County delegates ranging in age from 18 to 25.

This was her third year in the Miss River Raisin Festival competition, and she is going into her third year involved with the Miss America Opportunity.

“I am so ready to get to work and I am beyond excited. I love this community,” she said after receiving the scholarship program crown from Rylee Clairday, Miss River Raisin Festival 2022.

McGaughy’s community service initiative is “Learn to Lead: Educating America’s Future Leaders.”

Some of the next steps for her after being crowned Miss River Raisin Festival, she said, include attending community events to get people excited about continuing their education, raising scholarship money and preparing for a busy year ahead. 

Scholarship program delegates — once called contestants or candidates — competed in several categories during the competition.

An onstage conversation with the evening’s judges consisted of 10% of the delegate’s overall score. A private interview which took place in the afternoon was 30% of the total score.

Accounting for 20% of each delegate's score were evening gown, performing arts talent and the newest category added into Miss America programs, health and fitness, but not with swimsuits as was done in the past.

The newest version of health and fitness being adopted by scholarship programs affiliated with Miss America involves delegates wearing fitness apparel by Miss America sponsor Rebel Athletics. This change is starting at the state level and will roll into the local competitions for the 2023-24 season. It will be part of the Miss America national competition in January 2024.

Judges for the Miss River Raisin Festival program were Julie Ozdych-Stephens, Miss River Raisin Festival 2009 Erinn Hendricks Gilbert, Linda Lee Tarver, Miss River Raisin Festival 2005 Erin Chlebowski Lopez and Patrick Farver. Mekeisha Alcock-Black, Miss River Raisin Festival 2008, returned as the evening’s host.

Miss Michigan 2023 Maya Schuhknecht was a special guest for the program and provided onstage commentary with the delegates and Alcock-Black. She also performed her Miss Michigan talent of speed painting by creating a portrait of former United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

For winning this year’s program, McGaughy not only earned the crown, sash and a trophy but she also received $2,500 in total scholarships.

Ashley Brighton, 25, of Adrian earned fourth runner-up; Ashlee Pelham, 24, of Adrian was third runner-up; Olivia Wood, 20, of Blissfield was second runner-up; and Emily Maran, 18, of Deerfield was first runner-up.

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Finalists also receive scholarship funds. Each nonfinalist receives a $400 scholarship in addition to any scholarship awards that may have been presented to some of the top delegates.

For 2023, academic scholarships provided as part of the Miss River Raisin Festival scholarship program total $10,950. In the 28-year history of the program, $184,700 in scholarships have been awarded to Lenawee County women.

The remaining delegates for Friday's 28th annual Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship program were Madilynn Tomasek, 20, of Blissfield; Riolana Doyle, 19, of Adrian; Emily Auth, 20, of Blissfield; Hailie Medley, 19, of Blissfield; and Riley Buckmaster, 18, of Deerfield.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: 2023 Miss River Raisin Festival crowned