Festival Princess
McKinley Lanier, a junior from E.A. Laney High School, was
crowned the 2022 North Carolina Azalea Festival Princess during the 74th Annual
North Carolina Azalea Festival Scholarship Pageant on Saturday, March 5th. The event was held at Kenan Auditorium on the
campus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. McKinley is the daughter of Rodney and
Glynnis Lanier. She and her court were selected from among 12 contestants
representing 5 area high schools. The
court members include the following: 1st Runner-Up from E.A. Laney
High School, Devon Jones, 2nd Runner-Up, from Ashley High School, Ruby
Moulton, 3rd Runner-Up, from Wilmington Early College, Rileigh
Pedersen, and 4th Runner-Up, from John T. Hoggard High School, Maia
Cankurtaran.
At Laney, McKinley is involved in
the Beta Club and the dance team. She is also in the dual-enrollment program at
Cape Fear Community College. She is a competitive dancer, member of the Azalea
Festival Youth Committee and a state volunteer for the Cue Center for Missing
Person’s Safe and Found program. After graduation, she plans to go to college
to pursue a degree Political Science and later attend law school.
This year, Junior and Senior girls from area high schools
competed for the title based on a private interview with judges, evening gown
competition and on-stage presentation.
The Princess is the recipient of the Beverly Anne Jurgensen Scholarship
Award, named after the beloved Past President of the NC Azalea Festival. She will also have the option of a
professional teeth whitening service, compliments of Dr. Sarah Pless at
Renaissance Dental Studio.
