RESERVE — Laeh Alexander and Patience Pray were awarded the titles of Miss Andouille and Teen Andouille, respectively, at the 2017 St. John the Baptist Parish Andouille Festival Pageant Saturday night at St. John Theatre in Reserve.

The young women will now represent St. John Parish at various events over the next year and preside over the 44th annual Andouille Festival Oct. 13-15.

As Miss Andouille Queen, Alexander will travel to Washington, D.C. in January to attend the Washington Mardi Gras Ball, tour historical sites, visit with United States representatives and senators and speak to elected officials of Louisiana.

She will also compete against 75 others for the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festival’s Queen of Queens title.

“I am so excited and honored to represent the community as Miss Andouille 2017,” Alexander said.

A 22-year-old graduate of the Louisiana State University Manship School of Mass Communication, Alexander plans to use her Miss Andouille platform to give glory to God and promote education in the River Parishes.

“I work as an educator at LaPlace Elementary, where I teach journalism to the middle school students,” Alexander said. “I want to advance the youth of the parish through education.”

Alexander will be joined by Pray as she travels around the region. Pray, a 15-year-old sophomore at Riverside Academy, is new to the pageant world, having only previously competed for Sugar Queen in August.

She said she’s thrilled to be named Teen Andouille 2017.

“I’m so overwhelmed, I’m still shaking,” Pray said Saturday night. “I’m so proud of myself because this is only the second pageant I’ve ever competed in.”

During her Teen Andouille Queen reign, Pray aims to help others grow spiritually and personally through a program called Girls’ Growth, which brings young women together so they may learn to better represent themselves and the Lord.

Kevin Jamal McCathen, 2017 Mr. Bayou State, judged both divisions. He said Pray was a standout in his eyes because of her bright personality, and he loved everything Alexander stood for.

“The most important factor in the decision was the interviews held earlier in the day,” McCathen said. “We wanted to make sure we knew the girls on a personal level and that they were properly represented.”

Madison King, mistress of ceremonies and 2015 Miss Andouille Queen, said the pageant is important to the community because winners are the parish’s “walking billboards.”

According to King, the pageant and the festival are significant events that annually bring thousands of people to St. John. Miss and Teen titleholders preserve the rich history of the parish by educating visitors about the andouille industry.

The theme for this year’s Andouille Pageant was “Planes, Trains, Automobiles and Heels,” celebrating different methods of transportation past pageant winners have utilized in their travels.

Third runner-up Alicia Perret, second runner-up Carley Hoover and runner-up Kassidy Duhe also competed for the Miss title.

Perret received the people’s choice award, and Duhe won the evening gown award.

In addition to winning Miss Andouille, Alexander also received the congeniality award and was named most photogenic.

Teen Andouille Queen Pray won people’s choice, most photogenic and the evening gown award. She and runner-up Jenna Necaise tied for the congeniality award.

Third runner-up Casey Noyes and second runner-up Miranda Hotard also competed for Teen Andouille.

During the event, 2016 Miss Andouille Janet Nelson and Teen Andouille Kash’Mir Foley took the stage to relinquish their crowns and pass them on to the new winners.

— By Brooke Robichaux