In the wake of a hurricane, Last year’s Butler County Junior Miss Program was postponed due to the electricity being knocked out at the Ritz Theatre.

This year, “We thank God for this beautiful weather,” said a smiling Starla Jones, as the BCJM chairman welcomed a nearly full house to “Go Wild” with Junior Miss at the Ritz last Saturday night.

Isabella Wesley was chosen as the 2010 Butler County Junior Miss from a field of 12 high school seniors from across the county.

Wesley, a senior at Fort Dale Academy, also won the Self-Expression Category of the competition, taking home a total of $2,250 in scholarship monies.

She performed as a Spanish senorita in a ballet en pointe to “Espana Cani” by Pascual Marquita.

Welsey, the daughter of Cody and Debbie Wesley, plans to pursue studies in law at the University of Alabama.

First runner up was FDA senior Brittany Huckaba. Huckaba also took home the Fitness Category Award, earning a total of $1,250 in scholarship monies. She performed as buccaneer in a ballet en pointe to “He’s a Pirate” by Hans Zimmer. Huckaba, the daughter of Brenda and Jerry Huckaba, plans to pursue a career in the medical field at Samford University.

Greenville High School student Connor Murphy-White, daughter of Ley White and Kathy Murphy, was selected as second runner-up. Taking home both the Talent and Scholarship Category Awards, Murphy-White earned $750 in scholarship monies.

Murphy’s award-winning talent was her vocal performance of an operatic aria, “Le Violette” by Alessandro Scarlatti. Murphy-White plans to pursue a double major in Theater and Music at Troy University.

Other category winners were Jessica Bush of FDA, the Be Your Best Self Essay Award winner, and recipient of a $100 cash tuition scholarship, and Anna Nelson of the Butler County Magnet School, recipient of a $100 cash tuition scholarship as Spirit of Junior Miss winner.

Other participants in this year’s program were Audra Goss, Lauren Poole, Reneasha Gardner, Sarah Leverett, Abigail Martin, Caitlin Bozeman and Domineece Mullin.

“All of our girls worked very hard for this. I am so proud of them all and all our wonderful, dedicated board members for making this a success,” said Jones.

Welsey will represent the county at the state program in January 2010 in Montgomery.

Butler County’s outgoing Junior Miss, Elizabeth Dunklin, was named one of the top eight finalists in 2009.