McCorkle wins Miss South Carolina
Issue date: 9/4/02 Section: Happenings
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Staff Writer
ecuachiquita@yahoo.com
The same feet that once walked the pathways of North Greenville College and the same feet that crossed the stage to receive a North Greenville College diploma, are now the same feet that are getting ready to step onto the stage of the Miss America pageant.
Little did NGC know that it carried among its student body a future Miss South Carolina and a possible Miss America.
Little did NGC know that one of its students would overcome a learning disability and gain such a prominent title as Miss South Carolina 2002. Yet this is a reality and the description of NGC graduate with a mass communication degree, Kelly McCorkle.
As early as 1996, when she danced as an entertainer in the Miss South Carolina pageant, McCorkle's potential to gain the crown was discovered. She saw that the girls who participated in this pageant were full of care and zeal for their platforms. The production director of the Miss South Carolina pageant came up to McCorkle during this time and told her that he saw in her a potential Miss South Carolina. These two things sparked an interest in McCorkle and drove her to strive for the crown. With determination, McCorkle ran for the crown for the third year on July 13, 2002. This time, she finished the night wearing the crown.
Though nervous, especially when the top 10 were called out, McCorkle claims to have had a peace about the whole contest.
"My focus this year was just about serving the community and focusing on God," said McCorkle.
When she was announced as the winner, McCorkle said she felt so humbled and completely in God's hands.
Cecilia Pritchard, activities coordinator and previous suite-mate of McCorkle at NGC, was present at the pageant. She was very excited that night.
"From the very beginning I knew it was going to be Kelly. She was so confident...it was just visible," said Pritchard.
One of the things Pritchard admires about McCorkle is her motivation and drive, as she worked hard extra hours with willpower and not a hint of discouragement in order to reach her goal.
The Miss South Carolina and Miss America pageants are the largest scholarship organizations for women and the largest community service programs for women in the nation. McCorkle makes clear that it is not just about a crown.
The platform, which McCorkle represents, is that of learning disability education and awareness. This is a cause that is close to her heart because of her personal history, being dyslexic and with deficiencies in auditory processing. Though many thought McCorkle was wasting time attempting to even get a high school education, she proved them wrong by going beyond expectations.