UCA sophomore is new Miss Greene

A United Christian Academy sophomore is Miss Greene County 2009.
"I was hopeful, (but) I wasn't expecting it," says 16-year-old Brandy Estes, speaking about of her win. "They called my name and I was thrilled. I'm honored that they decided I was chosen to represent the county, and I hope that I can make (everyone) proud."
Estes was chosen over 11 other contestants before being crowned by Miss Greene 2008, Bridgewater College student Amber Hoover, Saturday night at the William Monroe High School Raymond C. Dingledine III Performing Arts Center.
Estes also was named Miss Congeniality. She is the daughter of Scott and Nena Estes of Barboursville. She will reign for a year, representing Greene County at Charlottesville's 60th annual Dogwood Festival, scheduled for April 9-26.
The Dogwood Festival of Charlottesville is held each April, during the peak of the Dogwood blossom season. Since it began in the 1950s, the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson and Orange have held pageants to choose their representatives to participate in the Festival and compete for the title of Dogwood Queen.
Estes will also be crowned Miss Greene County Fair and will represent Greene at the Virginia Association of Fair Queens Pageant later this year.
The new Little Mister Greene is Logan Franklin Barbour, son of Frank and Michele Barbour of Ruckersville. Little Miss Greene 2009 is Shania Marie Coleman, daughter of Troy and Shalon Coleman of Stanardsville.
WMHS Junior Kara Bass, daughter of Neal and Ronna Bass of Ruckersville, is first runner up for the title of Miss Greene 2009. Chelsea Pierce Vannatter, daughter of Robert and Lori Vannatter of Ruckersville is second runner up.
Miss Greene, the first runner up, the second runner up, and Miss Congeniality received trophies.
Runner up for the title of Little Mister Greene is Caleb Lamb, son of James and Amanda Lamb of Ruckersville. Runner up for the title of Little Miss Greene is Lindsay Pritchett, daughter of Kent and Melissa Pritchett of Ruckersville.
All four contestants for the title of Little Mr. Greene and all 28 contestants for the title of Little Miss Greene received trophies, because, said Emcee Ray Dingledine, "they all look wonderful and we want them to have a good time."
Estes is a life-long resident of Greene County. She has been a student at United Christian Academy since kindergarten. Her favorite subjects are Spanish and history. But she loves drama and is considering studying broadcast journalism when she goes on to college.
"It would be great to tell the county what's going on in a way that they would enjoy and feel comfortable with," she says. Estes has just signed up for Piedmont Virginia Community College's dual enrollment program and is already thinking about which college she will attend. She will be visiting will be visiting Virginia Technical College and James Madison University this week.
Estes was UCA's Little Miss Fairy Princess when she was in the second grade and says she has "always" wanted to compete for the Miss Greene title: "I'd watch the girls on stage during the … pageants when I was younger and say, 'I want to wear those dresses and I want to be on that stage'."
This was the first year Estes was eligible to enter.
About the coming year she says, "I'm very nervous, but also very excited, so it kind of balances out."