Four metro Atlanta titleholders won preliminary awards at Miss Georgia on Wednesday night.
MORE | Miss Georgia 2018: Meet the contestants
READ | Miss Georgia 2018: How to watch, what you need to know
LISTEN | AccessAtlanta podcast: Miss Georgia
Miss Atlanta Brooke Doss and Miss Fulton County Chari Guzman tied for the on-stage question award, a new addition for this year’s pageant. Doss discussed her platform of female empowerment, saying that the Miss America Organization, of which Miss Georgia is a part, is a source of empowerment for her. Guzman talked about a book she developed with the Nestle Corporation that helps families suffering from hunger find food banks and other resources for free meals.
This is Guzman's second preliminary award; she won the talent award Tuesday night for a performance of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary." That award was also given in a tie, with Miss Cobb County Victoria Hill sharing the award.
Miss Historic Buford Alexa Gilomen took home the talent award, singing a slow, dramatic version of The Cure’s “Love Song.” Gilomen, a Suwanee native, made it to Hollywood Week on season 13 of American Idol.
There was also a tie for the top swimsuit award of the night. Miss Capital City Paula Smith and Miss Historic Southern Plains Sarah DeLoach shared the award. Both contestants also competed in evening gown Wednesday night. Smith, a SCAD Atlanta fashion design student, wore a gown that she designed and sewed by hand.
In the teen competition, Miss Cherokee Rose’s Outstanding Teen Sophie Edwards and Miss Emanuel County’s Outstanding Teen Alaylla Watkins tied for the on-stage question and evening gown award. Watkins discussed working as a page in the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives, where she helped advocate for a bill that would require recess in all elementary schools. Edwards discussed her enrollment in an academic talent program that allowed her to take the SAT exam in seventh grade. her score on that exam would have qualified her for admission to Georgia Tech’s honors college, she said.
Watkins, a 17-year-old from Wadley, won the preliminary talent award Tuesday night.
Wednesday’s teen talent award went to Miss Paulding County’s Outstanding Teen Fallon Robinson. Robinson performed lyrical gymnastics, incorporating expressive contemporary dance technique into a routine that included walking handstands, back handsprings and tumbling sequences.
The competition continues Thursday night for the last night of preliminary competition. Find how to watch here.
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