A staff report
HIGH POINT — Taylor Loyd, representing Statesville, was crowned Miss North Carolina 2023 at High Point Theater on Saturday evening.
Janiya Pipkin, Miss Fayetteville Dogwood, placed in the top 15, as did Miss Carolina Dogwood, Olivia Gray. Both are affliated with the Fayetteville Dogwod Festival.
A 16th contestant was the People's Choice winner and competed in the Saturday pageant.
Loyd’s community service initiative was “Healing Hearts Through the Arts,” an arts advocacy nonprofit organization that promotes the arts as a tool for mental health and well-being. She performed the operatic vocal “Amour, raiment mon courage” from Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet” in the talent competition, according to a news release.
Loyd received a $20,000 scholarship and will represent North Carolina in the Miss America 2024 competition.
The top five finishers in the pageant were:
- Fourth runner-up: Miss Cleveland, Maura Westbrook.
- Third runner-up: Miss Queen City, Keelie Jones.
- Second runner-up: Miss Sandhills, Hannah Welborn-Lewis.
- First runner-up: Miss Durham, Abby Britt.
The top 15 contestants were:
- Miss Iredell County, Hannah Harvey.
- Miss Carolina Dogwood, Olivia Gray.
- Miss Dunn, Carlie Spencer.
- Miss Fayetteville Dogwood, Janiya Pipkin.
- Miss Randolph County, Tori Gross.
- Miss Durham, Abby Britt.
- Miss Jacksonville, Lauryn Mallard.
- Miss Greenville, Faith May.
- Miss Sandhills, Hannah Welborn-Lewis.
- Miss Statesville, Taylor Loyd.
- Miss Charlotte Mecklenburg, Jada Carter.
- Miss Moore County, Brittany Putman.
- Miss Cleveland, Maura Westbrook.
- Miss Piedmont, Jordan Garrick.
- Miss Queen City, Keelie Jones.
- Miss Clayton, Taylor Stovall.
Other awards included:
- Karen Bloomquist Elson Rookie Scholarship ($1,000): Taylor Loyd.
- Jeanne Swanner Robertson Congeniality Scholarship ($1,000): Miss Morehead City, Macy Messer.
- Nonfinalist talent scholarship ($500): Miss Ballantyne, Bailey Beam, and Miss Rose Hill, Abigail Batchelor.
- Nonfinalist interview scholarship ($500): Miss New Bern, Kaylee Spruill.
For more information about volunteering or competing in the pageant, visit www.missnc.org.
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