Covite crowns successor in annual pageant

Special to Leader-Press

 The 150th anniversary of the emancipation of slavery was celebrated with the Juneteenth Festival in Killeen this weekend with the 8th Annual Miss Juneteenth Pageant kick-off the festivities. Alexus Blake, a 2014 graduate of Copperas Cove High School, was the reigning 2014 Miss Juneteenth who crowned her successor Quintaya Mathis-Foreman Saturday evening in Killeen. Blake graduated from Cove High School in the top 10 percent of her class and is currently attending the University of Texas entering her junior year in the fall. During the pageant, Blake performed a dramatic monologue to entertain the audience as the judges' scores were being tallied.

2015 Cove graduate Adriana Nelson placed as 2nd runner-up in the contest with a color guard presentation during the talent portion of the pageant. Nelson was active in DECA and a member of the Pride of Cove color guard during her high school career. She is attending Central Texas College and plans to major in marketing with hopes of working in the music industry as a promoter of high profile performers.

The Juneteenth Celebration which also included a parade, gospel music concert and community picnic is sponsored by the Killeen Chapter of the N.A.A.C.P.