ROANOKE RAPIDS — As a part of the America’s Junior Miss Scholarship Program, the 14  participants in the Roanoke Valley’s Junior Miss for 2010 have each chosen a Little Buddie who is elementary school aged to participate in the national “Be Your Best Self” program.

Mildred Dotson | Daily Herald The Little Buddies for the Roanoke Valley Junior Miss Scholarship program are, front row, left to right, Emerson Poole, Sydney Lane, Brooke Moseley, Lily Brewer, Elena Rook, Madison Suiter, Lydia Boerne and Bryonna Woofter; and back row, Cameron Neil, Anna Lewis, Kaley Love and Mira Medlin. Not pictured, Mallaury Pageau, Allie Liverman and Kathryn Long. Advertisement

Designed to promote positive self images through understanding their unique talents and appreciating the same in others, they are taught the importance of getting a good education, living by moral principles, participating in community service, staying fit, setting goals and working to reach them.

The Little Buddies will participate with their “Big Sisters” and Jamie Lawson, Roanoke Valley’s Junior Miss for 2009, in the production routines of this year’s Roanoke Valley Junior Miss Scholarship program, “Groovin’ To Hot Latin Rhythms,” at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, at at The Centre at Halifax Community College.

The contestants who are participating in this 21st annual Junior Miss Scholarship program are Emily Bratton, Olivia Burton, Mary Sue Conger, Murphy Davis, Kelly Dixon, Meredith Hoyle, Courtney Jones, Erika Love, Magen Medlin, Katlyn Moseley, Mary Myers, Lacy Pfeiffer, Jordan Poythress and Jessica Robinson.

Major sponsors for this year’s program are Hampton Inn, KapStone Kraft Paper, Barfield Chiropractic Health Center, Halifax Linen,  Southern Corrosion, and Roanoke Valley Savings Bank.

America’s Junior Miss (www.ajm.org)  is the nation’s oldest and largest scholarship program for college-bound high school seniors.

The program, headquartered in Mobile, Ala., began in 1958. Since then, AJM has awarded more than $90 million in college scholarships at the local, state and national levels. In addition to cash scholarships, nearly 200 universities and colleges offer scholarships to contestants at the local, state and national levels.  Many of these scholarships are available to all contestants, not just overall winners. More than 700,000 young women from all over the country have participated in Junior Miss programs. National sponsors of America’s Junior Miss include the City of Mobile and Mobile County. The 53rd annual America’s Junior Miss National Finals will be in Mobile June 26-28, 2010. AJM is proud to have the assistance of more than 17,000 volunteers throughout the United States, who help to make the Junior Miss program successful at the local and state levels. More than 65 of those volunteers have helped the Roanoke Valley Junior Miss Program to be named the “Most Outstanding Program” in North Carolina for 2000, 2002 and 2007.