PHOTO COURTESY WHITE RAVEN STUDIO (Left): The Miss Sanpete Royalty 2021-22 is (L-R): Hope Marsing of Manti, first runner-up and Ashtyn Childs of Centerfield, queen. (RIGHT): Miss Sanpete Outstanding Teen Royalty is (L-R) Ali Hatch of Sterling, first runner-up, Lakely Brotherson of Wales, queen, and Madison Shelley of Mt. Pleasant, second runner-up.
EPHRAIM—The crowd rose to their feet with loud cheers and applause as the new Miss Sanpete County was announced Saturday night at the Snow College Eccles Center.
The title went to Ashtyn Childs, daughter of Gary and Anne Childs of Centerfield, who says that she decided to do the pageant because she “loves Sanpete County and her social impact and what better way to share my story and message than with the community I love.” Besides the crown, she received a $2,000 scholarship.
Hope Marsing, daughter of Nick and Christina Marsing of Manti, was named the first runner up to Miss Sanpete. She received a $500 scholarship and a $200 scholarship for her excellence in academics.
Also receiving a crown and $1,000 scholarship as Sanpete’s Outstanding Teen was Lakely Brotherson, 16, daughter of Jared and Liz Brotherson of Wales.
Asked what her biggest fear was, Brotherson answered “snakes” because they “freak her out” and she’s not sure how they get around. She wowed the crowd with her Jazz dance “Hit the Road Jack,” choreographed by Jordan Peterson. She has been dancing since she was 2-year- old under the direction of Just Dance.
Runners-up for the Miss Outstanding Teen were Ali Hatch, daughter of Alan and Ady Hatch of Sterling, who was named first runner-up and Madison Shelley, daughter of Robert and Candice Shelley of Mt. Pleasant, who was second runner-up. The first runner-up received $250 and the second runner-up received a $100 cash prize.
Over $5,000 was awarded to ten different candidates from seven communities in Sanpete County in different scholarship classifications.
The contestants performed on a beautiful stage decorated with sparkling beads draped from the ceiling; the center piece was a beautiful long chandelier.
The Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening was 17-year-old Miss Utah’s Outstanding Teen, Charlee Sorensen of Aurora. She recently competed for the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen title in Orlando Florida, where she was a top 11 finalist, preliminary talent winner and recipient of the Top Vocalist Award.
She brought the crowd to their feet when she performed her award winning operatic vocal “Je Veux Vivre” from Romeo and Juliet.
Childs, the new Miss Sanpete, is currently attending Snow College and working on a degree in elementary education and is excited for the opportunity to serve her county. She gives credit to the best pageant coach, her mom, for being willing to help her with anything she needed and thanking her for sticking with her in her very first pageant years ago.
She wants girls who are thinking about getting involved in pageants to “just do it!” She says it something that you will never regret. She mentioned that she has learned and grown so much form all her pageant experiences. She said that she wouldn’t have the confidence, interviewing skills and friendships without putting herself out there and competing.
Brotherson, Miss Outstanding Teen, will be a junior at North Sanpete High School and is a member of the drill team and softball team. She is excited to be able to share her platform, “Don’t MISS IT! Mental Illness Silent Suffering,” and to serve the people in Sanpete County. Lakes, as her friends call her, performed with a pulled quad muscle that she injured two days before the pageant. She said doing her dance was “physically, mentally and emotionally” hard for her, but she pulled through.
The Miss Outstanding Teen world is not new to the Brotherson family. Brotherson’s sister, Addy, was Sanpete’s Miss Outstanding Teen and also the 2015 Utah Miss Outstanding Teen. Lakely said she loved being able to watch and be a part of her sisters experience. She also knows how much work it really takes, but is ready to put in the dedication and time to make it a fun and successful experience.
In comments before she took her final walk, Lydia Madsen of Fairview, the outgoing Miss Sanpete, said that when she was crowned, she could have never imagined the year ahead.
“Moving three times, starting new jobs, and going to school full time definitely made for some tough moments,” said Madsen. “However, the little light that kept me going was the good people that surrounded me and the opportunity I had to serve this amazing community.”
She thanked her parents, family, friends and county commissioners.
“Last but certainly not least,” she thanked every resident of Sanpete County for allowing her to serve and represent them this past year. “You are the reason why I do what I do. Keep loving and supporting one another, and continue to Lend-A-Hand.”
Three young girls received junior royalty titles and were introduced at the pageant. Mini Miss Sanpete is Emily Oxman and Little Miss Sanpete is Kaylie Oxman, both daughters of Dave and Kristine Oxman of Manti. Junior Miss Sanpete is Madison Moulton, daughter of Brian and Kara Moulton of Ephraim.
