Miss Dogwood Ebony Mitchell won the title of Miss Arkansas 2022 Saturday night at the 84th Miss Arkansas Scholarship Pageant. The pageant took place at the Robinson Center in Little Rock in front of a crowd of nearly 2000.
Mitchell won a $30,000 scholarship provided by the Ted and Shannon Boy Skokos Foundation and more than $75,000 in awards, wardrobe, transportation, and gifts. She will represent Arkansas at Miss America in Connecticut and will make appearances across the Natural State promoting her personal platform of “A Responsible Digital You” and speaking in support of the goals of the Miss Arkansas and Miss America system. Mitchell was crowned by the outgoing Miss Arkansas, Whitney Williams, of Conway.
Over $209,000 in scholarships were awarded throughout the week to various Miss and Outstanding Teen candidates.
Mitchell is the 25-year old daughter of Hulene Ongola of Harrison. She is a 2022 Graduate of John Brown University where she received her Master’s of Health Administration. Mitchell received her Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 2019. For her talent, she performed a tap dance to “Respect.”
She previously competed in the Miss Arkansas Competition as Miss Metro, Miss UCA, Miss Central Arkansas and Miss North Central Arkansas. She also competed in the Outstanding Teen program as Miss North Central Arkansas' Outstanding Teen, Miss Lakes of the Northwest Outstanding Teen and Miss Northwest Arkansas' Outstanding Teen. Mitchell was first introduced to the Miss Arkansas stage at the age of 9 as a Diamond State Princess for Miss University of Arkansas. Throughout her years competing previously she has accumulated over $20,000 in scholarships.
Our new Miss Arkansas also won the following awards during the week: Preliminary Evening Gown Preliminary On-Stage Interview Preliminary Talent Asher Ray Mentor Award The ”All Grown Up” Award Overall Dance Award Grace Scholarship in Memory of Madelyn Grace Johnson Bill Tarkington Overall Evening Gown Sarah Slocum Overall Private Interview Scott Landers Business Profession Marketplace Scholarship
She takes home a total of $44,900 in scholarships from all the awards she won this week. The other Top Five Finalists were: 1st runner-up (receiving a $10,000 scholarship sponsored by Dr. Rhys Branman): Apple Blossom Sydney Wendfeldt
2nd runner-up (receiving a $8,000 scholarship sponsored by the Former Miss Arkansas Association) : Arkansas Valley Callie Scherrey
3rd runner up (receiving a $6,000 scholarship sponsored by Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation): Sweetheart of Arkansas La’Nyce Hemphill
4th runner-up: (receiving at $5,000 scholarship sponsored Hannah Wright and The Royal We): South Arkansas Haley Shourd
**Additional information on all candidates can be found at missarkansas.org**
The Semi-Finalists finishing 6th - 10th will each receive a $1,500 scholarship sponsored by Kendra Scott, The Jim and Kay Hinkle Family, in Memory of Heather Callicott and the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation. They are listed in alphabetical order: *City Lights Apple Dennie
*Lights of the Delta Anna-Marie Wright
*Metro Sophe Sligh
*Northeast Arkansas Izzy Baughn
*White River Cori Keller .
Also announced were those finishing as our Top 11-15 Semi-Finalists (each receiving a $1,000 scholarship sponsored by the Miss Arkansas Scholarship Foundation and the Miss America Organization)
They are listed in alphabetical order: *Greater Little Rock Makenzie Williams
*Natural State Ciara Callicott
*Ouachita River Kelsie Everett
*University of Arkansas Taryn Bewley
*University of Central Arkansas Nia Renee Kelly
Photo Credit: Danny Barger Photography (stage) / Michelle Roberts (headshot)