Lights pageant royalty crowned

After an afternoon and evening of competition and entertainment, two new Lights of the Delta Queens were crowned Saturday night in Blytheville.

Twenty-nine young women from across the state competed for the two titles.T The Lights of the Delta pageant is an open pageant and any young woman in Arkansas who meets the requirements may compete.

Claudia Raffo of Jonesboro won the Miss Lights of the Delta title. For her talent, Raffo performed a jazz dance, for which she also won the Ashley Walthall Talent Award. She won a $1,200 scholarship presented by the Blytheville City Advertising and Tourism Promotion Council. She also won scholarships from Arkansas Northeastern College and Arkansas State University. For her efforts she won more than $15,000 in scholarships and prizes. She is the 17-year-old daughter of Paula and Tommy Raffo. She also won the People's Choice Award. She was sponsored by The Urban Owl of Jonesboro.

The new Lights of the Delta Outstanding Teen is Ellie Stafford of Jonesboro. For her talent, she performed a Lyrical dance. She won a $300 scholarship and around $6,000 in prizes. She is the 15-year-old daughter of Trey and Jenna Stafford. She was sponsored in the pageant by The Jonesboro Radio Group. Stafford also captured the Active Wear Award and the People's Choice Awards.

Both young women will have their names featured on the queen displays at the Lights of the Delta Festival in Blytheville for the rest of the holiday season. The display is open each night until Dec. 28. There are more than 6 million lights and 46 major displays.

The Lights of the Delta Outstanding Teen court includes (from left) fourth alternate Rachel Qualls of Texarkana, second alternate Mercedes Bell of Blytheville, Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen Brighton Barnard of Little Rock, Lights of the Delta Outstanding Teen 2014 Ellie Stafford of Jonesboro, Lights of the Delta Outstanding Teen 2013 Katie Gardner of Fayetteville, first alternate Grace McClanahan of Hot Springs and third alternate Reagan Whellis of Melbourne.

This was the 10th Anniversary of the pageant. Several former titleholders, including the first Teen Lights of the Delta, Ashley Walthall of Magnolia, and the first Miss Lights of the Delta, Stephanie DeClerk Nichols, formerly of Pocahontas but now living in Jonesboro, were on hand to take part in the pageant. Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen Brighton Barnard of Little Rock also entertained at the pageant. Miss River Delta Jennifer Ulloa of Jonesboro and Miss Northeast Arkansas Bethany Bell of Blytheville were co-mistresses of ceremonies for the afternoon show. George Hubbard served as the master of ceremonies for the evening event.