Miss Kentucky says pageant changes possible in wake of pandemic

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Following the Miss America Organization’s decision to delay all competitions until 2021, the Miss Kentucky and Miss Kentucky Outstanding Teen Competition have been postponed as well.

An official statement from the organization says the competition will be postponed until summer of 2021, “for the health & safety of our candidates, volunteers, and fans.”

Miss Kentucky Alex Francke told ABC36, “At the end of the day, this is a program where girls are supposed to come, have a once in a lifetime experience with scholarship money and enjoy their time together. So, we felt we couldn’t do that to the best of our ability.”

Francke and Miss Kentucky Outstanding Teen Landry Feldmeier will continue to serve in their roles until crowning their successors.

“It makes me the only Miss Kentucky to serve over a year, so I will be serving until 2021 and continuing my work with the Department of Agriculture,” explained Francke.

While Francke says it’s a lot of work, it’s an amazing opportunity. “I’ve actually tried to take all of my content online. I’ve made a YouTube channel.”

Francke says she believes the global pandemic will change the future of Miss Kentucky and how titleholders engage with others via social media, “I’ve been forced to be super creative and have lots of content and create and really engage with people on a virtual platform not just in person. So, it puts a lot of emphasis on this marketing aspect which is great because I actually have a marketing background.”

For now, Francke says she is taking things one step at a time but wants to do everything she can during the extra reign to help the state, “I really want to do everything I can this next year to help Kentucky right now. I want to help tourism because that’s taken a huge hit, I want to help our local businesses our small business owners. I want to step outside of myself and all the things I would usually do as a Miss Kentucky to come alongside everyone that really needs the extra support right now. Because I really think that’s what my role is right now, be a champion for the state and hope for the people.”

You can read the full statement from the Miss Kentucky Scholarship Organization HERE.