AJM News

Kentucky's Michelle Rodgers is America's Junior Miss 2009

Michelle Rodgers of Winchester, Kentucky, won the title of America's Junior Miss 2009 during the 52nd AJM National Finals on Saturday, June 27. Rodgers also won preliminary awards in self expression and interview, brining her total winnings to $52,000 in cash scholarships.

Rodgers is the daughter of Paul and Karen Rodgers. Michelle plans to attend Northwestern University in the fall to pursue a degree in international studies and theater.

AJM Announces Second Preliminary Awards

The 52nd AJM National Finals continued on Friday, June 26, with the second and last night of the preliminary of competition. Category scholarship awards were presented to members of the AJM Class of 2009 at the end of the night in fitness, self expression and scholastics.

	Fitness awards were presented by Paige Plash of Encore Rehabilitation and awarded to (left to right) Taylor Hayden of Louisiana, Kayla Hoover of Idaho, Kathryn Tully of Alabama, Katharine Kolp of Tennessee, and Sidney Anthony of Mississippi. Each award is worth $1,000 in cash scholarships.
	Self expression awards were presented by Eric Patterson of Alabama Power Company and awarded to (left to right) Polina Carlson of Washington, Samantha LaBrasca of Wisconsin, Michelle Rodgers of Kentucky, Kayla Hoover of Idaho, and Asia Turner of Rhode Island. Each award is worth $1,000 in cash scholarships.
	Scholastic awards were presented by LaBarron McClendon of Mobile Gas and awarded to (left to right) Catharine Rawls of Oklahoma, Divya Srinivasan of Virginia, Madison Greer of Texas, Nadia Hlebowitsh of Iowa, and Lauren Xie of California. Each award is worth $1,000 in cash scholarships.

AJM Awards Satellite Awards

The 52nd AJM National Finals began on Thursday, June 25, with the first preliminary of competition. Satellite scholarship awards were presented to members of the AJM Class of 2009 at the end of the night.

Ashley Bracey of Alpine, Utah, received the Betty Copeland My Town Award presented by Wintzell’s Oyster House. Bracey won a $2,000 cash scholarship for the award.
Mackenzie Hull of Little Rock, Arkansas, received the Bel Air Mall Community Service Essay award for $1,500.
Laura Moore of Tallahassee, Florida received the Press-Register Daily Journal Award for $1,000.
Be Your Best Self Essay Awards for $1,000 each were awarded to Whitney Johnson of Portage, Indiana, Samantha LaBrasca of Brookfield, Wisconsin, and Kayla Hoover of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

For more information or to download photos for each young woman, visit the media site at www.ajm.org/media/junior_misses/class_of_2009.

AJM also awarded the Has Been scholarship to one of last year's participant. Lauren Gessner of Canfield, Ohio, was presented with the Saad Development Has Been Award. Gessner was Ohio’s Junior Miss 2008 and is currently a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, where she received a full scholarship due to her participation in the Junior Miss program.

The second night of preliminary competitions will continue on Friday, June 26. Scholarships will be presented at the conclusion of the program.

Preliminary Competition Begins

Preliminary competitions for the 52nd AJM National Finals begin on Thursday, June 25. AJM will award satellite scholarships at the conclusion of the show. Check back for results.

Photographs

Check out photographs of the AJM Class of 2009 during their two weeks in Mobile for the 52nd AJM National Finals. Visit www.fusionpointmedia.com and click View Photos to be directed to the gallery page. Then select the year to view all of the event folders. See several options for ordering, including the option to download a photo to your computer.

AJM Community Night a Hit

AJM's 4th Annual Community Night was a hit as more than 500 young people from the community and their families and friends showed up to get a sneak peek of the 52nd AJM National Finals. AJM's choreographer, Gia Solari, and her assistant, LIndsay Roebuck, invited the kids on stage to learn the Be Your Best Self dance and cheer after AJM recognized 12 Girl Scout Troops who received the Be Your Best Self patch and two young girls from the Boys & Girls Clubs for their essays on Be Your Best Self.

To see photos of the 4th Annual AJM Community Night, visit www.fusionpointmedia.com.

FaceBook Shares AJM News and Videos

If you haven't already, be sure to visit AJM's FaceBook page to see the latest news articles, photos and videos about the AJM Class of 2009.

Half Way There

We've reached the halfway point for the 52nd AJM National Finals in Mobile. So far the AJM Class of 2009 have eaten grits at Bellingrath Gardens & Home, participated in ropes training courses and team building activities at Camp Grace, learned to country line dance at the U.S.S. Battleship, givenback to the Mobile community through various Be Your Best Self Day projects, and experiece the Mobile tradition of Mardi Gras Balls with escorts from the Gulf Coast. To top it off, they've learned all of their productin routines and have been busy perfecting them before the preliminaries begin next week.

But the fun isn't over yet. By the end of next week, the AJM Class of 2009 will have also participated in an autograph session at Bel Air Mall, built sandcastles at Dauphin Island Beach, eaten raw oysters at Wintzell's Oyster House, and enjoyed a Mobile BayBears baseball game with their Girl Scout troops. All before the first night of preliminary competitions.

You can see pictures and videos of the AJM Class of 2009 by visiting www.ajm.org/media. Don't forget to watch the 52nd AJM National Finals live on Saturday, June 27, at 7:00 p.m. central standard time at www.nbc15online.com.

The Junior Misses are Here!

The 2 weeks of AJM National Finals is in full swing as each of the Junior Misses have arrived in Mobile! The Class of 2009 kicked off their experience with Girl Scouts, sponsors and Mobile community during the Arrival Ceremony a Mobile Regional Airport. They continued the fun with breakfast on Tuesday morning at Bellingrath Gardens & Home, where they enjoyed a southern treat - grits!

Stay tuned throughout the week to see photos and news coverage of the AJM Class of 2009!

AJM Connection - May/June

The AJM Connection for May/June is ready for viewing with an exclusive look at the AJM Class of 200 and the activities planned for them in Mobile. Check it out!

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