KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — The annual Miss Kosciusko County pageant is almost here. The participants have been chosen from Kosciusko and surrounding counties.

The pageant will be held at 5 p.m. Jan. 16, in Wawasee Middle School. There is an admission fee.

The event is sponsored by the Miss Kosciusko County Scholarship Organization, part of the Miss Indiana/Miss America Scholarship Program.

The three divisions the girls are competing in are: The Princess division, with participants ranging in ages from 5 to 12 years old; The Miss Outstanding Teen division, with 13 to 17 year old participants; and the Miss Kosciusko division, with contestants 17 to 24 years of age.

The following are contestants in each of the three categories, plus their age and hometown:

Miss Kosciusko contestants:

• Jenna Schmidt, 21, Seymour
• Siera Updike, 21, North Manchester
• Katelin Vogel, 20, Wabash
• Mary Mix, 22, Garrett
• Elizabeth Dowell, 21, North Webster
• Carrie Shank, 21, Elkhart

Miss Outstanding Teen contestants:

• Sophia Wilhite, 16, Princeton
• Josie Armstrong, 16, Syracuse
• Kristen Smith, 16, La Porte
• Delaney Jackson, 16, Columbus
• Shelby Kern, 17, North Webster
• Emma Tarkington, 16, Granger
• Anastasia Keller, 16, Vincennes

Princesses:

• Kate Strieby, 12, Syracuse
• Laney Neuenschwander, 11,  Syracuse
• Cierra Weisser, 11, Syracuse