Posted by BEN BEAUMONT – Clinton School student and Miss Arkansas U.S.A winner Chanley Painter leaves Friday for Las Vegas where she will compete in the Miss U.S.A. pageant.
Chanley’s Clinton School classmates have planned a send-off party for her at the Little Rock airport Friday at 11:30 a.m. The pageant is set for Wednesday, April 19, and will air on NBC. The winner goes on to compete for Miss Universe.
As a preview to her trip, she is featured in this week’s SYNC magazine, a weekly Little Rock newspaper for the young and hip. The article highlights Chanley’s diverse talents. Here’s an excerpt:
A few quick facts about Chanley Painter, Miss Arkansas USA 2009: She sported a perfect 4.0 grade point average throughout college. She plays a fiery “Orange Blossom Special” on a 200-year-old fiddle without a name. She can break a one-inch board in half — using either hand or even her feet. And she’s a baker who has created the scrumptious-sounding “secret recipe cookies.”
(Just don’t ask her what ingredients are used in creating her cookies. Persuaded, she admits they contain butter, and might be nutty and sweet. Cajoled, she smiles her beauty-pageant-winning smile and replies, “If I told you they wouldn’t be a secret, would they?”)
On April 19, the 24-year-old Conway native will join 50 other contestants representing the 50 states plus the District of Columbia for the 58th Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas. The winner of the live broadcast on NBC will represent the U.S. at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant. Painter, who lives in Quitman with her father Michael, mother I’Lisa and sister Chelsa, will spend 16 days in Las Vegas, taking part in photo shoots, sightseeing adventures and preparing for the big night that includes a preliminary competition involving an interview, a swimsuit competition and an evening gown competition. Is she nervous?
“I don’t get nervous,” Painter said. “I love being up on stage. I love the fashion and the modeling.“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s my first time to do this, and I remember growing up watching Miss USA.”
CLICK HERE for the full story.
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