Evening wear was worn, questions were answered and scholarships were given at the end of the night at the 2019 Miss Troup County Scholarship Program Saturday at Troup High Fine Arts Auditorium. Lyndsay Richardson won Miss Troup County, Jessica Roberts won Miss Troup County’s Outstanding Teen and Charlie Key won Miss LaGrange’s Outstanding Teen.

Richardson will advance to the Miss Georgia pageant in June. Roberts and Key will advance to the Miss Georgia Outstanding Teen pageant, which is also held in June.

“It went wonderful,” said Judy Neighbors, pageant organizer. “We had a great pageant and great contestants.”

Key, 13, who competed for the first time, said she was shocked but excited. Key is a seventh-grade student at Springwood School in Valley, Alabama.

“My sister was Miss LaGrange’s Outstanding Teen, and I saw how much she grew through the pageant system, and I wanted that opportunity as well,” Key said.

“I also wanted to bring my platform, the March of Dimes, to the next level.”

Roberts, 15, said she was excited as well, and plans on partnering with the LaGrange Animal Shelter as part of her platform of people helping animals and animals helping people. Roberts is a sophomore at Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts in Columbus.

“This is my second year trying to [win] this title, and [I’m] excited to accomplish my goal and be Miss Troup County’s Outstanding Teen,” Roberts said. “I can’t wait to go to Miss Georgia and represent Troup County well.”

Richardson, 22, said this is her third time competing in Miss Georgia, and her platform is mentoring through music. Richardson is a graduate student at Columbus State University.

“I’m so excited to be somewhere close to home because I live in Columbus. I can’t wait to learn more about Troup County and to go back to Miss Georgia.”

Richardson received a $1,200 educational scholarship, and a $800 Miss Georgia preparation award. Roberts and Key received a $900 educational scholarship and an $800 Miss Georgia pageant preparation award.

“I think it’s going to help a lot with school because I’m one of six children,” Key said. “So, scholarships do help a lot.”

Neighbors said the pageant was able to give more scholarship money this year than ever before due to sponsors. Neighbors said she now expects for Richardson, Roberts and Key to work hard in preparation for Miss Georgia.

“They’re going to do well at Miss Georgia, all of them,” Neighbors said. “That’s it — we’re going to work hard and prepare. They’re already hard workers so we’re going to do it.”