Miss Cedar County 2012 Lauren Alumbaugh brought home a trophy to El Dorado Springs from the Miss Missouri Pageant held in Mexico, MO, this past weekend. It wasn’t the Miss Missouri crown, or a statuette or a certificate. It was the fact that she’s the first Miss Cedar County to make it to the Top Ten in any Miss Missouri pageant. There have been other young ladies from this area that have made it into the Top Ten, (most notably, Sydney Friar) but never as Miss Cedar County.

Another first was that all the title holders from Southwest Missouri – Miss Branson Tippe Emmott, Miss Springfield Mary Bauer, Miss Crowder Emma Lambeth and Miss Cedar County all made it to the Top Ten. Miss Branson and Miss Springfield made it to the Final Five as Miss Missouri and the fourth runner-up respectively.

This was Lauren’s fourth journey to the Miss Missouri pageant. She’s competed as Miss Western, Miss Greater Kansas City and Miss Tri-Counties and finally as Miss Cedar County representing her home. It was also Lauren’s last pageant in the Miss Missouri system. She “aged-out” by celebrating her 24th birthday in April. And even though she’ll get married in July, she’ll continue to represent Cedar County until she gives her crown to Miss Cedar County 2013 on Dec. 8 of this year.

Lauren thought the pageant went well for her. Her on-stage question concerned voting and why it was necessary for young people to register and go vote. She said that people have sacrificed their lives for that right and it is our duty to educate ourselves about the candidates and the issues and exercise the right to vote.

She also thought that the 10 minute interview was good with most of the questions about her resume and platform of art education. She said that Miss Missouri Sydney Friar had told the judges that current events have little to do with the job of Miss Missouri although it is important to be aware of issues..

Asked if she had another year, would she compete again she said, “Yes. I probably would because its fun. I love performing and going to Miss Missouri is like summer camp. We bond and share stories and be goofy and it’s really fun.”