Pike County Junior Miss Celeste Sanders is on a two-week recruiting trip to find a successor to her title.

Celeste has made appearances on local television and radio programs in an effort to encourage rising senior young women to enter the Pike County Junior Miss Program set for Aug. 2. She will also speak at all local high schools to talk to the young women personally about the merits, benefits and rewards of the national program.

"The Pike County Junior Miss Program is not a beauty contest," Celeste said. "It is a scholarship program and there are so many opportunities for scholarships and to met new people and make new friends. Being Pike County Junior Miss has been the most wonderful and rewarding thing that has happened to me."

Because of her positive experience in the program, Celeste wants to make sure that every young woman who is eligible to participate knows what a great opportunity the Junior Miss Program is.

In recent years, Celeste said the number of participants has decreased.

"I think that has something to do with the talent division of the program," she said. "Some girls think that just because they don't sing, dance or play the piano they don't have a talent, but that's not true. Oral interpretations are done often and there are other talents that can be display other than musical ones."

Celeste said talent accounts for only 25 percent of the total score.

"If you don't score high in one area, you can make it up in another," she said. "No one should let any one division keep them from participating."

The divisions of competition are scholastic, poise, talent, interview and fitness.

Some young women might shy away from the Junior Miss Program because of the amount of time and work involved.

"Practice will begin on July 21 and there will be three-hour practices each night until the Junior Miss Program on Aug. 2," Celeste said. "I know that sounds like a lot of time and a lot of hard work and it is, but it's also so of the most fun you'll ever have. You get to meet new people and make new friends. And you learn that will help you in other things that you do. The Junior Miss Program is a wonderful experience."

Celeste will be taking her message of support for the program and enthusiasm for it to Goshen High School today and New Life Christian Academy on Wednesday. She will visit Pike County High School Monday and Charles Henderson High on Tuesday. She has already visited Pike Liberal Arts School.

Laura Givins, chairperson for the Pike County Junior Miss Program, joins Celeste on the tour of schools to help promote the program.

"We show a short video about Junior Miss and I talk about my experiences," Celeste said. "We hope to have the largest number of girls we have had in years this year."

There will be a mother-daughter meeting at 7 p.m. May 13 at Regions Bank, downtown, for all girls who are interested in participating in the program.

Deadline for entry will be May 19.

For more information about the Pike County Junior Miss Program call Laura Givins at 566-8820.