Recently, four brave-hearted students displayed their confidence and aptitude to go off-script as they pursued the highest royal distinctions on campus. CCC Tigers Kanitria Taylor, of Shelby, Miss., and Stephan Washington, of Clarksdale, Miss., walked away as Mr. and Miss Coahoma Community College 2022-2023.
Although only two winners could be chosen, each participant splendidly stunned the audience. The much-anticipated pageant, which wasn’t held in 2020 and 2021, made a remarkable comeback and consisted of multiple categories: talent, lifestyle and fitness, evening wear, and on-stage question. Before the high-energy competition, each candidate had a private interview with the competition’s five-judge panel.
In the talent round, Kanitria Taylor, a biology major, dedicated to a deceased loved one a poem written by Maya Angelou, “When Great Trees Fall.” Taylor, who was also selected as a Student Ambassador for Coahoma, competed against Clarksdale native Dejah Fondren, a general education major and Dancing Jewel of the Marching Maroon Typhoon majorette line. For the Q&A round, the newly named Miss CCC 2022-2023, who captivated the room in a red sparkling gown, explained her platform.
“The platform I chose, Aspiring Women, deals with the typical stereotype of what a woman’s job is supposed to be,” said Taylor. “Myself, in the multiple jobs I’ve had, it’s always a man doing this and doing that, but I feel like it’s okay to do a man’s job.”
Taylor hailed the current U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris as a superhero she would like to become to bring change in the oratorical component.
Stephan Washington, an insurance and real estate major, contested against Jaivian Hughes of Greenville, Miss. Hughes is a culinary arts/hospitality management major and also serves as the chief of staff in the Student Government Association. Washington soulfully sang a heartfelt rendition of “I Love You Lord Today” for the talent round.
During the concluding Q&A round, the winning male candidate spoke on reasons he chose to enter the running for Mr. CCC.
“Coahoma has given me guidance,” he shared. “Before I came here, I wasn’t full of ambition.” The soon-to-be campus king went on to say that he now has three jobs as opposed to having just one before attending CCC. He also elaborated on superhero Professor Charles Xavier in the preliminary oratorical competition; Washington explained that he would utilize the superhero’s ability of mind control to wipe out judgment of others.