UK students earn honors in Miss Lexington pageant

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By Lauren Forsythe

As the oldest standing Miss Kentucky preliminary pageant in the state, Miss Lexington is considered to be the second most prestigious title one can receive in the world of Kentucky pageantry — only topped by the state title itself.

On Oct. 3, the Miss Lexington pageant celebrated its 50th anniversary, and participants, including students and other locals, competed at the Lexington Opera House.

Megan Lineberry, a UK music performance junior from St. Augustine, Fla., was crowned Miss Lexington.

Lineberry said she started pageantry to have a place to play her violin for an audience because her high school did not have an orchestra.

However, the Lexington pageant was Lineberry’s seventh in four years — something she never planned.

“I won the first pageant, so I just continued doing them,” said Lineberry, who hopes to eventually get her master’s in the violin.

The atmosphere of the pageant was exciting not only because of the crown, but because of her fellow UK participants, Lineberry said.

“It was really awesome to meet other UK students who are involved in the pageant system,” Lineberry said.  “All the girls were very supportive of each other, helping with hair and makeup and getting ready backstage.”

One of Lineberry’s competitors was Kiley Shuffett, a UK journalism freshman from Greensburg, Ky., who finished right behind Lineberry with the first runner-up spot.

“I was in the pageant to get some scholarship money and that’s what I did,” Shuffett said.

“However, I’ve wanted the title of Miss Kentucky since I was a little girl, and my ultimate goal is to become Miss America.”

Erin Hisle, a 17-year-old senior from Henry Clay High School, received the second runner-up position in her first Miss Lexington pageant.

“(Lineberry) was the first friend I made in the group,” Hisle said. “She offered a lot of good tips.”

As for the newly-crowned Miss Lexington, Lineberry will go on to compete for the Miss Kentucky title on July 15 through 17 in 2010. To prepare for the pageant, she plans to increase her workout regiment, take modeling classes at a local agency and will continue to practice her violin for the talent portion.

Lineberry teaches fitness classes at the Johnson Center, and is involved with Reformed University Fellowship and the School Of Music Service Organization.

For now, Lineberry is just embracing her newly-crowned title.

“I had two major thoughts right after the crowning — I can’t believe this is actually happening and I hope she doesn’t mess up my hair,” she said with a laugh.