Main Menu NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
2/12/2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES-The results of the Feb. 7 Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet Pageant conducted on the Northwestern State University campus have been changed because of an error in the tabulation of judges' ballots by an independent auditing firm.
Lacey Fletcher, who was named the night of the pageant as the third runner up, will become Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet as the result of the corrected tabulations.
Alicia Schulz of Metairie, who was announced as the winner, will become first runner up. Ashley Dunham, who was announced as first runner up, will be second runner up followed by Ashley Williams of Bossier City. Sarah Rhodes of Rusk, Texas remains as fourth runner up.
According to Carl P. Henry III, director of student activities and organizations at NSU, a mistake was made in adding up the scores for the interview portion of the competition. Because of the error, some scores were not calculated, which led to a mistake in the results announced at the pageant.
"We deeply regret this error and we realize the impact this will have on several outstanding young women and their families," said Henry. "I express my apologies on behalf of the university and the Miss America organization to those who were affected by the error."
Independent auditors are required to tabulate results at Miss America preliminary pageants.
Henry said the university is working to ensure that Schulz and the other participants affected by the error receive the scholarships and other prizes, which they were presented at the pageant or to which they are entitled.
Fletcher is the daughter of Danny and Barbara Fletcher. She is a junior elementary education major. Fletcher has been a member of the National Dean's List and received the National Consortium Award for Sports and Academics. She is a graduate of Rosepine High School. Fletcher has been a member of the NSU track team. Her platform issue is "America's Promise: The Alliance for Youth."