Lakeland’s Junior Miss: Lakeland’s Junior Miss

Michelle McCullough doesn’t do anything halfway. So, when she signed up for Lakeland High School’s Junior Miss competition, she embraced the concept whole-heartedly, winning the crown and the Spirit of Junior Miss Award Saturday night.

But it was far from preordained. While McCullough has a stellar academic record – she won the scholastics segment, too – she was never much interested in wearing high heels and dresses.

“I don’t dance,” said the Lakeland junior. “I play soccer and I raise pigs.”

McCullough decided to join the competition at the last minute, participating in it instead of running track this year. She said she wasn’t sure why she made the choice as she didn’t think of herself as a “cheer and dance” type of girl. Indeed, the unfamiliarity with the more feminine aspects of the competition led to one other revealing occurrence while she was getting ready Saturday morning.

“I burned my chin with the curling iron,” McCullough deadpanned.

Despite that minor setback, McCullough said she enjoyed the morning scholastics and interview segments. She said talking to the judges helped her feel less like someone being evaluated and more like a participant.

For the talent competition during the evening program, McCullough got out the trumpet she plays in the school band. She played “Under The Sea” while sitting in a wading pool.

“I was dreading my talent,” she said. “I’m not a shy or nervous person, but I was very nervous about my talent, about missing a note.”

She passed through that trial with flying colors. And only the nine weeks of practice had her able to walk in high heels and dance a choreographed routine.

The self-expression segment measures a participant’s grace by evaluating her ability to walk in heels and an evening gown, as well as the participant’s public speaking skills through a question and answer session. McCullough said she adapted to walking in heels fairly well, but that she bumped into another contestant during the walk.

“I wear (high heels) for band concerts and other must-have occasions,” she said. “I wear tennis shoes to school and sandals to the beach.”

During the fitness competition, participants show their flexibility, athleticism and coordination through both a group routine and a solo portion. McCullough said she had trouble all through practices with the fitness segment.

“I wasn’t getting it – the fitness thing,” she said. “I was having a hard time, but the girls really helped me. They told me ‘But you’re so cute!’ And I was like, ‘Cute isn’t going to cut it!’ “

That camaraderie with the other contestants was the best part of the competition for McCullough. She said there were many turbulent times during practices, but that they all developed close friendships.

“We would have never hung out before. We just operated in different areas,” McCullough said. “Now, I have 18 new friends and every single one of them, I don’t know. I’m in love.”

Developing new relationships and stretching her abilities were concepts that McCullough took away from the competition, concepts that reinforced lessons from the past.

“The things I learned, I already knew, but they were on the shelf,” she said.

McCullough won a $600 scholarship to the college of her choice or one year’s tuition at North Idaho College. Her first-place finish in the scholastics competition netted her $150 and the Spirit of Junior Miss award came with a $100 prize.

McCullough said she would look at attending NIC or the University of Idaho, and wants to become a high school math teacher.

McCullough will fulfill her Junior Miss duties by making public appearances at local elementary schools and a parade.

“I’ve got to get my princess wave down,” she said and laughed.

She will help train next year’s competitors, serve as co-host of the evening program and compete in the regional Junior Miss competition to be held at NIC.