Onaway’s Emilee Madison to compete at Miss Michigan

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor

Emilee Madison, 19, of Onaway is making preparations to compete next week in the Miss Michigan Scholarship Pageant in Muskegon.

Madison, who is the daughter of daughter of Bryan and Anita Madison and Tina Madison, won the Miss Sunrise Side Pageant in November to earn a spot in the pageant scheduled to take place at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts. She will be competing against the winners of 31 other feeder pageants from across the state.

“I am really excited,” said Emilee. “I started pageants at Miss Tip of the Mitt when I was 14 years old. Ever since then I have been doing Miss Tip of the Mitt and Miss Sunrise. This is the first year I have won. It is just amazing to finally be able to go.”

Her talent will be a musical performance of “In Summer” from the Disney movie “Frozen.” It’s a song she performed when she relinquished her 2013 Miss Onaway crown last summer.

Emilee Madison, Miss Sunrise Side. (Photo by A&M Photography)

Of the five portions in the Miss Michigan Scholarship Pageant, Inc., the talent portion of the competition is awarded the most points, contributing 35 percent

to the contestants’ final score.

“My platform is breast cancer awareness,” said Emilee. “One of my close family members was diagnosed with it, but thankfully she is in remission now.” Breast cancer also claimed the life of one of her sorority sisters at Central Michigan University. “So, it is something that has really affected me,” she said.

Madison travels to Muskegon Saturday and will be there for a week practicing, with the goal of making the top 10 June 20, and then the final show later that night.

“Everything starts Saturday,” said Anita. “There is a golf tournament they have to be at.” It’s one of many appearances for the Onaway High School grad.

Last year, Posen native Paige Lewandowski was the Miss Sunri

se Side representative, but did not make the top 10. The pageant was won by K.T. Maviglia of Dundee.

Emilee is majoring in political science and would eventually like to run for public office. She will be a sophomore in the fall.

Nonfinalist contestants are still rewarded for their hard work, with each contestant receiving $400 in scholarship money.

Five Miss Michigan’s have gone on to win the Miss America pageant in 1939, 1961, 1970, 1988 and 2008, while an additional five Miss Michigan’s have placed in the top 10 at the Miss America competition.