Miss Elk Rapids Jenna Hubbell waves to the audience after being crowned by Miss Elk Rapids 2007 Franki Price. Photo by Lori Eickholt

ELK RAPIDS - It was quite the 17th birthday for Jenna Hubbell. In addition to the normal festivities, the Elk Rapids High School junior also received the title of Miss Elk Rapids 2008 at the competition held Saturday, March 22.

Hubbell was selected from a field of eight young ladies at the "Masquerade Magic" themed event. She will represent Elk Rapids at various events in the area for the next year. Accompanying her will be first runner-up Jessica Hoover and second-runner-up Sonya Sayler, both Elk Rapids seniors.

ÊHubbell is already a visible part of the community. She has been putting on two-hour country music concerts at each Harbor Days since 2005 and entertained the crowd with her rendition of "Cabaret" during the creative and performing arts portion of the competition, for which she received top points.

She represented the community as Young Miss Elk Rapids in 2001, Miss Pre-teen Elk Rapids in 2004, and Miss Teen Elk Rapids in 2006. She is also involved in athletics at Elk Rapids High, including varsity soccer and basketball. But, most importantly, she learned the most from working on her father's farm in Williamsburg, she said.

ÊWhile working at Orchard View Farms, "I learned to work for everything," she said in her prepared speech.

ÊLater, during the impromptu speaking portion, she said working on her father's farm taught her "what it takes to work hard."

ÊThe farm and country mentality carried over into Hubbell's modeling, as well. Her casual modeling attire included overalls and work boots, accompanied by the song "I'm From the Country." Hubbell was also the top point-getter in that catergory.

ÊBeing a role model is an important duty of Miss Elk Rapids 2008, Hubbell said. "I am entering this competition because I would be honored to represent my hometown," she wrote in her pageant application. "I live by strong morals and have set high standards for myself, which would make me a great role model as Miss Elk Rapids 2008."

ÊHoover, the daughter of Michael and Carolyn Hoover, said her passion for the arts is displayed. She participates in various performing arts, including Chamber Choir, Drama Club and on the dance squad. Her vocal talents were on display during the creative and performing arts portion of the competition, as she sang "Wishing You Were Here Again," from "The Phantom of the Opera." ÊDuring her impromptu question period, she said her favorite theatrical production was "Little Shop of Horrors."

Ê"It was fun playing a character who is the exact opposite of me," she said. ÊHoover also said she wished to be a role model and ambassador for Elk Rapids. She was Miss Pre-Teen Elk Rapids in 2002 and said the experiences she had there fueled her desire to enter the competition.

ÊSayler, too, is no stranger to the Miss Elk Rapids competition. She served this past year as the 2007 second-runner up.

Ê"I am who I am, inside and out," she said during her prepared speech. And she is a dancer, she went on to say. She has been dancing for 14 years and, "I can't imagine a day without it," she said.

She has been the co-captain of the Elk Rapids dance squad the past two years and has been studying at the Alden Dance Academy since she was nine. This experience helped her choreograph her own dance, performed to the song "Conga," for the competition's creative and performing arts section. Saylor was also recognized as Miss Entrepreneur for selling the most tickets.

Other awards went to home schooled eleventh grader Felicia Phelan, who was chosen as Miss Congeniality by her fellow candidates, and senior Maggie Petersen, who received top points in formal modeling.

Brian Keilen can be reached for question or comment at bkeilen@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-264-9711.