Miss Permian Basin 2017

Senior+Kailey+Tate

Senior Kailey Tate

Lauren Eckert, Yearbook Editor-n-Chief

The Permian Basin Fair and Exposition is a premiere entertainment event that comes to the Permian Basin area once a year in September. The Permian Basin Fair offers more than $42,000 in scholarship monies. This year, one of Permian’s own, senior Kailey Tate won Miss Permian Basin 2017.

“Holy cow, I just did that!“

After many preparations and hard dedication, Tate won Miss Permian Basin 2017.

“I was in shock, because I had just won a $2,500 scholarship,” Tate said about her initial reaction to winning. Tate can use that scholarship anywhere, though if she uses it at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin or Odessa College it will double.

The senior has been doing pageants since she was seven.

“At first I did them to build self-confidence, and now I’m doing them to earn college money,” she said.

Tate had to make many preparations to succeed in this pageant.

“I had to practice, and I had to get my grades up, because you have to have good grades to compete. We had to get them a transcript, and all kinds of stuff,” Tate said.

One of the things required to compete in the pageant was to have an interview with college professors.

“We actually had to do an interview with three college professors and they talked about our plans, and what we want to do with our lives,” Tate said. “They went over our grades with us.”

During the contest, participants did a number of activities.

“We had an on stage interview with everyone, and then we had to walk in an evening gown and in casual wear,” Tate said.

Besides the $2,500 scholarship, Tate got many benefits from winning.

“I actually get to go do community service projects now about every weekend,” she said. “I get to help out and make appearances, and all that cool stuff.”

Although winning was quite the success, Kailey didn’t do it alone.

“My mom worked her butt off with me to make sure I was ready,” Tate said.

Tate was ecstatic when she won Miss Permian Basin 2017 and knows it will push her towards more success in all of her future endeavors.