However, many people were confused when they announced Miss Maine and Heather Elwell stepped out onto the stage.
Questions came in to Lebanon Maine Truth Seekers asking if Miss Earley were ill or injured. Was Miss Elwell the runner up in the Miss Maine Contest??
The answer is:
Miss Kelsey Earley is fine.
Lebanon's Miss Maine, a student at UNE's Westbrook campus, studying Dental Hygeine, is ONE Miss Maine, but we actually have TWO.
While Kelsey is Miss Maine for the Miss America Pageant system, Miss Maine for the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageant system is Heather Elwell, from West Bath, Maine, who studies Music and Economics in Florida.
I know, it's a bit confusing, but it's been explained to me this way:
Miss America is a scholarship program. The young women you see in this pageant are competing as a national symbol of beauty, poise, charity and education. The Miss America Pageant will be held in Atlantic City, New Jersey in September of 2015.
Miss USA/Miss Universe is a completely different pageant system which was launched by the Catalina Swimsuit Company as a means to promote their fashions, but offers their winners scholarship opportunities as well as the chance to represent the United States in the Miss Universe Contest in Shanghai, China . It was the Miss USA Pageant that was held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Sunday evening July 12th, 2015, and is owned by business mogul, Donald Trump.
Miss Maine, Kelsey Earley of Lebanon Maine (courtesy photo) will compete
in the September Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Miss Maine, Heather Elwell, of West Bath, Maine (courtesy photo) competed
on July 12, in the Miss USA Pageant, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
