Canton Academy hosts annual who’s who pageant

By Courtney Warren

Canton Academy recently hosted the Beauty and Beau Who’s Who Pageant, a fundraiser for the school yearbook Reflections. Yearbook staff members planned and hosted the event, bringing on an elementary component this year, allowing younger Panthers to shine on stage. 

Winners of the pageant included Junior High Most Beautiful and Most Handsome Kee Curro and Harper Lampkin.

Curro is the son of Jerome and Caroline Curro. He is currently in the seventh grade, and this is his second year at CA. He is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. At CA, Curro is a member of the football, basketball, baseball and track teams. In his spare time, he enjoys playing baseball for Knight Nation, reading, spending time with his family and friends and watching Mississippi State athletics. 

Lampkin is the daughter of Will and Dawn Lampkin. Harper is currently in the eighth grade and has attended CA for ten years. She is a member of First Church of Canton. At CA, she is a member of the cross country, cheer, basketball and track teams. She is also a part of the Junior National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the eighth-grade Student Council team. In her free time, she enjoys running, playing basketball, and hanging out with friends and family.

High School Most Beautiful and Most Handsome went to Chris Hunter and Amelia Rose Cook.

Chris Damon Hunter is in twelfth grade at Canton Academy. La’Chandra Blanden and Kenyon Blanden are his parents. Hunter attends Blutcha Church of God in Christ. He has attended Canton Academy for six years and is a member of the football, basketball, track and tennis teams. When not participating in sports, Hunter enjoys watching football, hanging out with friends and playing tennis. He is a true competitor, and his passion is football, whether it be watching or playing. He began playing when he was five years old and has been hooked ever since. Hunter also loves working out and enjoys competing with everyone he is around. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with his girlfriend. Upon graduation, he plans to go to college and major in marketing and business management to become a real estate agent and explore other business opportunities.

Amelia Rose Cook is a junior and the daughter of Dr. Jay and Kristi Cook. Cook is a member of 3:16 Church, a lead singer in the praise team and a nursery volunteer, a seven-time state winner in Bible Drill, and is the preacher’s daughter. She is student body vice- president, MSAIS State Student Council secretary, Madison County Civinettes vice-president, FCA secretary, National Honor Society vice-president, a Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership representative, Mayor’s Youth Council Honor Code Director, and the Madison County Youth Leadership Representative. She is on the Headmaster’s list with a 4.0 GPA, was awarded the highest-average in her class, is an academic all-star, and received the Kindness Project award.  She was awarded Class Favorite, Heart Like Jesus, Most School Spirit, Most Likely to Be President, Cutest, the Citizenship Award, and Homecoming Court.

Cook plays softball and tennis. She is a baseball diamond girl and the basketball manager. She is a two-year MVP and a 4A State Champion of the varsity tennis team. Cook is a varsity cheerleader, All-American Cheerleader and UCA Pin-It-Forward recipient. She plays the piano and was the Mississippi Junior Federated Convention Secretary and first place winner in the Junior Piano Convention.  She founded Cakes for a Cause charity, raising thousands of dollars for people in need, locally and all over the world. Cook has helped send children to school, funded surgeries for orphans and purchased a house for a single mom in Mongolia. For her charitable contributions, she was Mississippi’s recipient of the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, and Madison County’s “kids who care” hometown magazine representative for 2024. She enjoys Bible study with her mom and friends and photography.  Her favorite thing about CA is that it’s more than just a school; it’s a second family. She loves her teachers and friends like they’re her own. She plans to pursue a career in cosmetic dentistry, going into practice with her brother, Jameson.