Miss Elk Rapids 2006 Lyndsay Israel crowns her successor, Miss Elk Rapids 2007 Franki Price, during Saturday's Miss Elk Rapids Pageant. For more photos, page 7A of The Town Meeting's print edition. Photo by Lori Eickholt

When the runners-up were announced March 24, hugs of congratulations were given along with flowers, crowns and sashes. Junior Sonya Sayler was selected as second runner-up and senior Alissa VanDenBerg was named first runner-up.

Price said she felt uncertain while waiting to hear the announcement of the new Miss Elk Rapids, and several things were going through her head. She said that she was surprised when she found out she had won.

"I knew each of the girls had done really well and would be tough competition," she said. "I was expecting a runner-up position, so when they finished announcing the runners-up I thought, what am I going to do next year?"

Pageant director Sara McGuire said she enjoyed the contestants this year.

"We really had an exceptional group of girls this year," she said. "The girls were truly brilliant and talented."

Elk Rapids High School students Emily Tack, Carrie Louis, Erica Shugart, Britni Veeder and Lauren Ritzler were also contestants at the pageant.

Price said she and six of the contestants shared the same advanced placement literature class in school and grew closer throughout the pageant experience.

"I was very pleased with how everything went so smoothly," McGuire said. "The girls' attitudes remained the way they had from the start. They were supportive and excited for each other even at the end."

This year's theme, "Dancing with the Stars," saw contestants being twirled around the stage by members of the Elk Rapids High School Step Team during an opening number. Following the performance, McGuire and Miss Elk Rapids 2006 Lyndsay Israel were introduced as the evening's emcees.

Then came the casual modeling and prepared speaking portion of the pageant. Contestants were asked to answer the question "Who are your stars, and why?"

Price said she prepared for the pageant whenever she could.

"I set up mock interviews with people like Mrs. (Carolyn) Hoover and Mrs. McGuire to prepare for the judges," she said. "I practiced my speech in the shower or any chance I could."

Price looked patriotic in red, white and blue when she arrived on stage modeling to the song "Cheek to Cheek." During her prepared statement she said she had always described her star as a "sissy." Many people hear the word sissy and associate it with a weak person. Price's "sissy," her 26-year-old sister Carissa, is "strong, accomplished and a terrific role model," she said.

VanDenBerg said friends and family serving those with Alzheimer's disease had proved to be her stars, and Sayler said her three sisters had earned the star title. This portion of the program was worth 20 percent of the overall score.

Price "shined" during the creative and performing arts portion of the pageant, worth 30 percent of the overall score. She danced to the Johnny Cash song "Get Rhythm" dressed as a shoe shine boy. The song referenced how even the little shoe shine boy is able to "get rhythm."

Price said she didn't think up the idea for her talent all on her own.

"In the past I've usually relied on my mom's big ideas," she said.

She is the daughter of Ken and Marcia Price of Elk Rapids. Price has participated in the Little Miss Elk Rapids Pageant three times in the past, also utilizing her mom's advice. She is also a member of the high school dance squad and has composed and performed liturgical dances at her church.

VanDenBerg also got into costume, dressed as Johann Sebastian Bach's wife Anna Magdalena as she played Minuet in G on the piano. Sayler opened her number with an a capella rendition of the song "I Got Rhythm" and finished with a dance she choreographed.

Israel helped with the impromptu speaking and formal wear portion of the pageant as an interviewer. Each candidate was asked a question based on information found in her pageant application. Price discussed her youth group trip where she worked on an Indian reservation in South Dakota, VanDenBerg talked about being the captain of the girls tennis team and Sayler discussed her position on student council.

Five other awards were given to the contestants.

VanDenBerg won the entrepreneur award for selling the most tickets to the pageant. Shugart was named Miss Congeniality. Veeder won for her casual modeling. Sayler and Shugart tied for the performance award, and Price won for formal modeling in her pale blue, halter-style gown.

For Price, the Miss Elk Rapids Pageant allowed for more than just the opportunity to model and keep fabulous new clothes, though she said shopping for them was "only fun for the first hour." It also provided $4,000 in scholarship money to use at the college of her choice.

Although Price is only a junior, she has already been considering universities like Central Michigan, Michigan State and Michigan at which to use the scholarship. Journalism, sports medicine and physical therapy are fields of study she said she might explore. But for now, she said she is most excited about her participation with Evening on River Street events this summer as Miss Elk Rapids. McGuire said Price and her court will represent Elk Rapids during festivals in other towns, Evenings on River Street events and Harbor Days.

"There will be one to two events where they will perform their talent from the pageant," McGuire added.

McGuire said the first event Price will participate with is the fourth annual Business Expo and Community Showcase in April. She added that she thinks Price will be a great girl for the job of Elk Rapids ambassador.

"I know Franki was thrilled about her win and she'll be a great role model," McGuire said.