4You: Miss Kansas has been crowned, the competition gives out nearly $58,000 in scholarships

By KWCH Staff

Published: Jul. 12, 2021 at 8:11 PM 

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Congratulations to the newest Miss Kansas, Taylor Clark, who will go on to compete at Miss America.

Nearly 58-thousand dollars in scholarships were awarded to the group of 23 contestants who competed this year.

Clark was crowned Miss Kansas 2021 on Saturday. She is currently a senior at k-state studying music education, and before that, she was Miss Kansas’ Outstanding Teen in 2017 before winning the Miss Kansas title on her first try.

Since the age of five, this pageant queen has been participating in the Miss Kansas organization as a princess in their mentoring program.

Along with her many other accomplishments, Clark competed as Miss Augusta and won a preliminary talent award and the rookie of the year award. She now prepares for the 100th Miss America competition.

You can learn more about the organization at MissKansas.org.

Here’s the list of award recipients:

Miss Kansas will receive a $10,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation and The Peoples Bank of Pratt to any college or university.

Taylor Clark, Miss Augusta

First Runner-Up will receive a $4,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation and Legacy Bank of Pratt to any college or university.

Ayanna Hensley, Miss Boot Hill

Second Runner-Up will receive a $2,500 scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation and Dr. Daniel & Marcia Suiter to any college or university.

Marissa Hernandez, Miss Sedgwick County

Third Runner-Up will receive a $2,250 scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

Courtney Wages, Miss Emerald City

Fourth Runner-Up will receive a $2,000 scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

Alexandra Adkins, Miss South Central

Semi-Finalists (6) will receive a $1,750 scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

Dakota Derstein, Miss Santa Fe Trail

Regan Smith, Miss Meadowlark

Candace Sweetwood, Miss Chisholm Trail

Katherine Wurzer, Miss Wichita

Emily Rugg, Miss Air Capital

Paige Harding, Miss Heart of Kansas

Non-Finalists (12) will receive a $1,500 scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

Polina Nations, Miss Ark Valley

Deanna Nguyen, Miss Asian Festival

Alexandria Gier, Miss Butler County

Erin Slattery, Miss Cowboy Capital

Payton Keller, Miss Cowley County

Jensen Mettlen, Miss Dodge City

Katie Brooks, Miss Golden Road

Aubrie Penfield, Miss Metro Kansas City

Kirsten Stokes, Miss Northeast Counties

Sierra Bonn, Miss Southwest

Bailey Smith, Miss Sunflower

Katelyn Andrist, Miss Wheatland

Social Impact Initiative Awards provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

$2,500 First Place

Sierra Bonn, Miss Southwest

$1,500 Second Place

Paige Harding, Miss Heart of Kansas

$500 Finalist (3)

Taylor Clark, Miss Augusta

Courtney Wages, Miss Emerald City

Candace Sweetwood, Miss Chisholm Trail

$250 Kimberlee Grice Preliminary Talent Awards (2) provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation and Forrest and Kay Grice to any college or university.

Taylor Clark, Miss Augusta

Courtney Wages, Miss Emerald City

$250 Lesley Moss Preliminary On-Stage Interview Awards (2) provided by Lesley Moss to any college or university.

Sierra Bonn, Miss Southwest

Marissa Hernandez, Miss Sedgwick County

$250 Janet McEntarfer Memorial Scholarship provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

Taylor Clark, Miss Augusta

$1,000 Esther Scholarship provided by Kevin & Jennifer Parks-Lafferty (Miss Kansas 1996) to any college or university.

Alexandra Adkins, Miss South Central

$250 Non-Finalist Talent Award provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

Deanna Nguyen

$250 Non-Finalist Private Interview Award provided by the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation to any college or university.

Sierra Bonn, Miss Southwest

$250 “Mama Pam” Rookie of the Year Award provided by Kevin & Jennifer Parks-Lafferty (Miss Kansas 1996) to any college or university.

Taylor Clark, Miss Augusta

Miss Kansas Competition Cash Awards

$500 CMNH State Miracle Maker/Miss America Scholarship Foundation Award is awarded to the overall highest fundraiser for CMNH/MAF among all Miss candidates.

Dakota Derstein, Miss Santa Fe Trail

$500 Salute Page Award is awarded to the overall highest sales of Salute Pages among all Miss candidates.

Dakota Derstein, Miss Santa Fe Trail

$250 Sunflower Mentoring Recruitment Award is awarded to the overall highest recruitment of Sunflower participants among all Miss candidates.

Dakota Derstein, Miss Santa Fe Trail

$250 Silent Auction Award is awarded to the overall highest bid item among all Miss and MKSOTeen candidates.

Taylor Clark, Miss Augusta

$125 Centennial Club Contribution Award is awarded to the overall highest recruitment of donors among Miss candidates.

Sierra Bonn, Miss Southwest

https://www.kwch.com/2021/07/12/4you-miss-kansas-has-been-crowned-competition-gives-out-nearly-58000-scholarships/