Mallory McDougald, a senior at Luverne High School, will take part in the 2006 Alabama Junior Miss program Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17 and 18, with a send-off reception scheduled in her honor for Feb. 5.

The seventeen-year-old won the title of Crenshaw County’s Junior Miss last summer. In that program, McDougald took top honors in the fitness, talent and interview categories, while also being named Miss Congeniality and winning the &uot;Be your best self&uot; essay competition.

During the Alabama Junior Miss program, McDougald will again compete in the fitness, talent, interview, scholastics and self-expression categories.

The top prizes in the Junior Miss program include a college scholarship. McDougald’s plans include attending Troy University and majoring in Elementary Education.

Approximately 50 young ladies will be competing in the 2006 Alabama Junior Miss program. The winner in Montgomery will go on to compete with winners nationwide at the America’s Junior Miss program in Mobile.

McDougald, who is a member of the National Honor Society at LHS, stays very busy. In addition to being the varsity cheerleader captain, she is also captain of the Lady Tigers’ basketball team. McDougald serves as SGA president, Key Club president, and she was chosen as the Wendy’s Heisman Athlete Award winner for basketball and cheerleading, having the highest grade point average of any female athlete in her senior class.

She is also a member of Mu Alpha Theta Math Society, Future Teachers of America, the yearbook staff, and she is a recipient of the National Achievement Academy Award and Who’s Who Among America’s High School Students.

In addition to her academic and athletic achievements, McDougald is a dancer at the Luverne Dance Center and an employee at Kate’s Kountry.

The Alabama Junior Miss program will be held at the Montgomery Coliseum beginning with preliminary competitions at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17. That evening, the young ladies will compete in the fitness and self-expression categories. On Saturday, Feb. 18, the talent competition will take place at 1 p.m., with the grand finale at 7 p.m.

McDougald will leave Friday, Feb. 10, and stay in Montgomery until Feb. 19. She will be staying with Mr. and Mrs. James Carpenter of Prattville, who will serve as a host family. Her roommate will be Walker County’s Junior Miss, Stephanie Rector.

There will be a special send-off reception in McDougald’s honor on Sunday, Feb. 5 from 2 until 3 p.m. at the Luverne Church of Christ fellowship hall. Everyone is invited to attend.

Mallory is the daughter of William and Mary Ann McDougald of Luverne and the granddaughter of Rufus and Grace Helms of Luverne. She has two brothers, Mike and Matthew.