Miss Cherokee contest one week away, 13 vying for titles on August 5

The Cherokee High School Auditorium will be the site for the 2021 Miss Cherokee, Miss Cherokee High and Junior Miss Cherokee pageants, featuring 13 contestants. The contest will start at 7 p.m. Aug. 5.

The auditorium is located at Sixth Street and Massachusetts.

This year there will be three crowns handed out. The first is the traditional Miss Cherokee, which will go to the highest scoring senior girl.

The second crown will go to Miss Cherokee High, who will be the highest point winner for girls freshman through seniors.

The third crown will go to Junior Miss Cherokee. This is open to all female 2021-2022 7th and 8th grade students at Cherokee. The girls will compete in interview, on stage question and poise and appearance. A 2020 Junior Miss Cherokee will be crowned and a Junior Miss Congeniality will be presented.

Under Miss Cherokee High, the talent, first and second runner-up, interview and Miss Congeniality will be awarded.

The winner of the Miss Cherokee competition will still be awarded a scholarship to Northwestern Oklahoma State University and earn a chance to compete at Miss Cinderella.

The winner of Miss Cherokee High will receive scholarship money to any post secondary school.

All the scholarship money will be given their senior year at the awards banquet.

The contestant for Miss Cherokee will be Sarita Kephart. She will also be competing along side Mae Nevels, Carson Schanbacher, Lexi Williams, Korey Dooley, Kinsy Roberts, Baylee Oister and Riley Hensley for Miss Cherokee High.

The contestants for Junior Miss Cherokee are Mariella Herrera, Talyn Allison, Gracia Jackson, Kaycie Shelton and Veronica Castro.

Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for students. The event will also be live streamed for those who would like to watch.

Sarita Kephart

Sarita Elena Kephart is a 17 year-old senior. Her parents are Kenneth and Therese Kephart. She has two sisters, Siena is a sophomore at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Shayla is a freshman at Cherokee High School. Sarita also has three dogs, Rumble, Rocky and Reeses and a cat named Princess.

She is currently a STUCO officer, a member of the National Honor Society and is on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll. Sarita is involved in FFA, Upward Bound and Fast and Slow Pitch Softball.

She works at Subway in Cherokee as a Sandwich Artist. After graduation she plans to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University and pursue a career in the medical field.

Mae Nevels

Mae Nevels is a freshman at Cherokee. Her parents are Kody and Marie Nevels. She is the granddaughter of Robert Nevels and the late Trish Nevels, also granddaughter of the late Bobbie and Joyce Krob. She is the youngest of four. Her siblings are sister Shyla Frost and two brothers, Ty Whitely and Kaleb Nevels.

Mae is very active in sports. She is involved in fast and slow pitch softball, cross country, track, and basketball. She is also involved in FFA, FCCLA and FCA. Her hobbies are showing pigs, hanging with friends and making kids happy.

Her future plans are to go to college on a running scholarship.

Carson Schanbacher

Carson Schanbacher is a 15 -year-old sophomore. She is the daughter of Bryce and Jessica Schanbacher. She has one brother, Dawson.

Carson is involved in basketball, track, cross county, FCCLA, and FCA.

Some of Carson’s favorite things to do are go to the gym, hang out with friends, and spend time with her family.

Carson’s future plans are to attend college and continue her basketball career. She would also like to become a coach and a teacher someday like her parents. Carson’s favorite quote is “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” – Tim Notke

Lexi Williams

Lexi Williams is the daughter of Charity VanMeter and Tom Williams and the youngest of 8 siblings. She will be a junior and is excited to play softball and basketball for the Lady Chiefs. She also represents CHS in FFA and FCCLA in district, state and national events.

Last year she earned a State Championship Title and a National 3rd place in Star events.

Outside of school, Lexi is active in the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls were she serves as a Grand Representative to the states of Nevada and Louisiana and is the Personal Grand Page to Mr. Ben Chad, State Rainbow Dad.

Lexi’s biggest passion is her horses. She loves training her horses and competing in rodeos. Lexi has competed in the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo as a multi-Event qualifier for 6 years and was named Great Salt Plains Stampede Rodeo Queen 2019.

Lexi’s future plans are to attend Oklahoma State University to major in Equine Rehabilitation Therapy.

Korey Dooley

Korey Dooley is the daughter of Jennifer and Jason Dooley and the granddaughter of Debbie Wilson, Cherokee, Joe Wilson, Cherokee, Enid McGuire,Chandler, and Rex Dooley, Arnett.

Even though he is taller than her, she has one little brother, Joe Dooley. Korey is a junior at Cherokee High School.

The sports and other organizations Korey is involved in are basketball, track, and FCA. She is also a part of the Oklahoma’s International Order of the Rainbow for Girls.

After high school she plans on attending Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Nursing program to eventually to become a Nurse Practitioner specializing in allergies.

In her free time from work, weight lifting, and open gym, Korey loves hanging out with her family and friends. They all are the most important element in her life.

Kinsy Roberts

Kinsy is the daughter of Kevin and Kari Roberts. She has twin brother and sister Kort and Katera. Her grandparents are Charles and Connie Roberts of Helena and the late James and Betty Simpson, also of Helena.

Kinsy enjoys painting, singing and hanging out with friends and family.

She is a member of the Lady Chiefs’ softball team.

Baylee Oister

Baylee Oister is the 16-year-old daughter of Glenn and Jana Oister and the granddaughter of Gerald and Donna Detrick of Ames. She has an older brother, Ben.

Baylee will be a junior at Cherokee and will also attend the Biomedical Program at Northwest Technology Center.

Her activities include 4H, choir and horse club. Her hobbies are riding and caring for her seven horses, singing, reading and hanging out with her friends and family.

She is also a member of the First United Methodist Church where she loves to sing occasionally. Baylee has had a busy summer winning all around cowgirl at the Cherokee Round up club summer playdays, running for the Waynoka Rodeo Queen August 13 and being employed as a dental assistant at her mother’s dental office.

Her future plans include graduating high school and attending Northwestern Oklahoma State University where she will purse a degree in Biology,  then chase her dream of becoming a dentist by going on to dental school.

Riley Hensley

Riley Nicole Hensley is 16 years old. She is a junior and her favorite subject is Math. Her parents are Glen and Jennifer Hensley, she is oldest of four. Her siblings are Hannah, Austin and Tucker Hensley.

Riley has many interests, including Softball, Cross Country, Basketball, Track, and Cheer. Some organizations she is in include FFA and FCA.

Riley’s role models are her mom and dad because they have always been there for her and pushed her to always give 110%.

For college Riley would like to attend Florida University, OU, or OSU on a softball scholarship and pursue a degree in Athletic Training.

Riley enjoys swimming at the pool and hanging out with her friends.

Her favorite quote is “Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you”

Mariella Herrera

Mariella Herrera is the 13-year-old daughter of Randy and Cristina Herrera. She has one sister, Gabriella.

Mariella loves painting, reading, playing softball and basketball. She is a member of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls.

Mariella is inspired by art through painting, dancing or singing. It inspires her to express herself and her emotions.

Talyn Allison

Talyn Allison is the daughter of Nicole Allison and the late TJ Allison. She has four siblings, Tate, Tanis, Trace and Turner.

Talyn is in the 7th grade and loves athletics. She also enjoys basketball, cross country, track and cheer.

Talyn is a member of the First United Methodist Church and the Cherokee Round Up Club.

Talyn’s mother Nicole inspires her. Talyn says “She is definitely a cool mom and has always been there for me. She is my number one supporter and always encourages me to do my best.”

Gracia Jackson

Gracia Jackson is the 14-year-old daughter of Bobby and Tiffany Gould and Richard Jackson. She has one brother, Xander, and is in the 8th grade.

Gracia is a member of the FBC youth leadership team and 4H. She enjoys playing softball, basketball, helping in the youth room, hanging with friends, swimming and working with her mom.

Gracia is inspired by her mom, who has taught her to follow her dreams and never give up.

Kaycie Shelton

Kaycie Shelton is the daughter of Shannon and Magen Lehr and Shawn Shelton. She is in the seventh grade and has three siblings, Draven, Jocie and Parker.

At school, she loves her Science and Social Studies classes. Kaycie enjoys dancing, singing, reading out loud and shopping.

She is a member of the Lady Chiefs cheer and basketball teams.

Veronica Castro

Veronica Castro is the 13-year-old daughter of Nellie Castro and Andres Ordonez.

She loves to hang out with family and friends, play with her dogs, listen to music and play sports such as basketball, softball, track, cross country and rodeo.

Veronica is currently a member of the Cherokee Roundup Club and 4H. She is looking forward to joining the FFA, FCCLA, Upward Bound and speech and debate.

Veronica’s family inspires her on a daily basis. Each relative teaches her great life lessons and reminds her to the be the best person she can be.