BY VERONICA COONS
vcoons@gbtribune.com

PRATT — Barton County is making a name for itself this year, with five contestants competing in the Miss Kansas 2017 and Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen pageants at Pratt.
Preliminary competitions for the 2017 Miss Kansas Pageant began with interviews on Wednesday evening and talent on Thursday evening this week at Pratt Community College. Today starting at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m., the Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen preliminary competitions will be conducted, followed by an autograph party at 5:30 p.m. at the Pratt Municipal Building. The Miss Kansas Parade starts at 6 p.m. in downtown Pratt.
Barton County women vying for these crowns include the following:
Miss Barton County 2017 is Madyson Hayden, 18, daughter of Tammy and Randall Hayden of Great Bend. This Great Bend High School graduate is promoting positive body image, and her talent is dance.
Miss Capital City 2017 is Hannah Mauler, 20, daughter of Sally and Jeff Mauler of Great Bend. The Kansas State University student promotes fitness and healthy lifestyle balance, and her talent is dance.
Miss Heartland 2017 is Hannah Maddy, 22, daughter of Angie and Bill Maddy. Also a Kansas State University student, her platform is “Teach Success: Creating Caring Communities Through Character Education,” and her talent is vocal. Maddy has been named a finalist for the Miss Kansas Quality of Live Service Award at preliminaries this week.
Miss Yellow Brick Road 2017 is Makayla Lofland, 18, daughter of Paige and Jerry Lofland, Great Bend. This Great Bend High School graduate is championing the importance of preventing brain injury, and her talent is vocals and signing.
In the Miss Outstanding Teen pageant, Miss Barton County’s Outstanding Teen 2017 is Delaney Buehler, daughter of Tammy and Brent Buehler, Great Bend. The Great Bend High School student’s platform is “Cancer: Show You Care, Be Aware.” Her talent is vocal.
Neighboring Stafford County is also sending a contestant to the teen pageant. Miss Butler County’s Outstanding Teen 2017 is Taylor Clark, daughter of Natalie and Bill Clark, St. John. The St. John High School student’s platform is “STEAM for Teens!” STEAM is a movement to include art and design with the core innovative focus areas of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. Clark’s talent is drumming.
Saturday, the final competitions will be held, once again at Pratt Community College’s Dennis Lesh Sports Arena. The winner will go on to compete in the Miss America 2017 Pageant.
Last weekend, Hayden and Buehler could be found promoting their platforms and providing community service in Great Bend. Hayden conducted a Miss Barton County Prince and Princess class to introduce elementary aged students to the importance of cultivating a positive self-image and including tips on how to compete in pageants.
Buehler met with the public attending the cancer screenings offered in partnership with University of Kansas School of Medicine and the Great Bend Masonic Lodge.
Other contestants have been active in the community throughout the spring and summer. In addition to promoting their causes, they have committed to ongoing fundraising for the Children’s Miracle Network, a partner of the Miss Kansas and Miss America organizations.