LAS VEGAS — Arlie Honeycutt, like the rest of North Carolina, will be waiting with baited breath tonight as the names of the top 15 contestants in the 2013 Miss America pageant will be announced on live television.
Those 15 women will go on to compete — also on live television — for the Miss America crown. They will be chosen from among 53 contestants representing all the U.S. states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
“It will all be right there,” said Honeycutt, 20, who is representing The Tar Heel State as Miss North Carolina 2012.
The Garner native and current ECU junior is the former Miss Kinston-Lenoir County 2012. She spoke to The Free Press by telephone Friday following a whirlwind week of preliminary competitions, interviews and seeing some of the Las Vegas sights.
“I’ve been kind of star studded by the former Miss America, the judges, the star personalities,” Honeycutt said. “It’s just a really, really cool experience.”
Honeycutt was the 75th Miss N.C. when she was crowned last June, and she is the first representative of Kinston and Lenoir County to win the state title and compete for the national title since Constance Ann Dorn of Kinston was crowned in 1972, according to the Miss N.C. website.
“It’s been awesome, the support team from Kinston,” she said. “I’ve been really excited to get to see so many people.”
Honeycutt’s parents, Beth and Scott, and her 15-year-old brother Jackson are with her in Las Vegas, as well as extended family, a number of supporters from the Miss North Carolina and Miss Kinston-Lenoir County organizations, even winners of local Kinston and Lenoir County pageants, such as Teigha Beth Bailey, the current Kinston-Lenoir County’s Outstanding Teen.
“I have a nice group of family, my extended family is here, and so that’s been really great,” she said.
Honeycutt and her fellow contestants have taken part in swimsuit, evening gown, talent and on-stage interview competitions. The judges will tabulate the scores for each contestant, and the top 15 scorers will be announced tonight live.
Honeycutt’s talent is singing — she is majoring in vocal performance at ECU.
“Go Pirates!” she exclaimed.
Although she and her fellow contestants are under protection “24/7” by “an awesome” security team, they have been able to get out to see various hotels, casinos and other attractions in Las Vegas.
“We’re really grateful to represent our towns, our states; and to be here it’s just icing on the cake,” she said.
David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or David.Anderson@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at DavidFreePress.
WANT TO WATCH?
The 2013 Miss America pageant will air live on ABC — WCTI-12 locally — at 9 p.m. today