MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County Forestry Pageant will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 24, at the Colquitt County Arts Center. Denise Hicks has been appointed the Colquitt County Forestry Scholarship Pageant director for the county by the Georgia Forestry Pageant and Educational Association, Inc.

The Georgia Forestry Pageant is the oldest scholarship pageant in Georgia, going into its 68th year. The Miss Georgia Forestry Pageants offers more than $120,000 yearly in cash and college scholarships on the local and state levels. The winners of the Colquitt County Forestry Pageant will receive their entry fees paid to the 68th Miss Georgia Forestry Pageant to represent Colquitt County.

The county queens are escorted to the state pageant by limousine, they participate in a parade with their county and title on their car, and they are treated to cookouts, treefarm tours, and many more events. This year a formal ball will be held for the Teen and Miss contestants.

Miss Georgia Forestry receives, besides the scholarship, all her expenses paid to travel the state in promoting forestry, pay for her appearances, the official round Miss Georgia Forestry crown, rhinestone studded banner, official Miss Georgia Forestry pin, official Miss Georgia Forestry diamond and emerald ring, silver engraved tray, flowers, picture and interview in five national magazines, and gifts totaling more than $2,000.

The younger girls receive the official Miss Georgia Forestry crown, rhinestone studded banner, official crowning pin, silver engraved tray, flowers, scholarships, bicycles, stereos, gifts totaling over $2,000 and their picture and interviewed by five national magazines.

The Miss Georgia Forestry Queens have the opportunity to ride on the Georgia Forestry float with Smokey Bear serving as ambassadors to the Georgia forestry industry.

The Miss Georgia Forestry Pageant is a non-profit organization started in 1940 to offer educational opportunities to young ladies while promoting Georgia’s number one industry — forestry. The Miss Georgia Forestry contestants will also have the opportunity to advance to the Miss US National Forestry Pageant.

The Colquitt County queens will be responsible for promoting forestry for the county. They can compete and win other pageants as long as they promote their forestry titles.

The pageant will be open to young ladies ages birth to 24 years. The younger girls’ pageants are open to all surrounding counties. Contestants in the Miss Division must work, reside, or attend school in this county. The Forestry Pageant closes the Miss Division to the county the pageant is being held in because organizers feel that it is important for a local girl to win the local forestry scholarship.

The younger girls are judged a 1 to 10 on poise, beauty, gown, personality, and overall appearance. The Teen and Miss are judged on interview, public speaking and evening gown.

Hicks brings more than 10 years of pageant experience to the Colquitt County Forestry Pageant. She also attended the Georgia Forestry Pageants judges workshop and is a certified judge.