Lena Belle Kelly, age 9, has been chosen as a state finalist in the National American Miss Mississippi Pageant.

Lena is the daughter of Tracy Kelly.

Lena’s extracurricular activities include English-style horseback riding and waterskiing. She also enjoys singing, reading, skating, bike riding and being actively involved in her church.

Lena’s sponsors for the pageant include First Baptist Church of Picayune, Formby Realty, Ryan’s, On Location Video, Kenneth and Jennifer Williamson, Greg and Sylvia Kelly and her mother and father.

The pageant will be held July 21 through July 22 at the Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, Alabama.

The pageant is held for girls ages seven through nine.

The winner of the pageant will receive a $1,000 cash award, the official crown and banner, a bouquet of roses and air transportation to compete in the national pageant at Disneyland in California. Pageants are held for girls ages four to eighteen, in five different age groups.

Each year, the pageant awards thousands in scholarships and prizes to recognize and assist in the development of young women nationwide. Families interested in learning more about this unique youth program may visit www.namiss.com.

The National American Miss pageants are based on inner beauty, poise and presentation.

Emphasis is placed on the importance of gaining self-confidence, learning new skills, learning good attitudes about competition, and setting and achieving personal goals.

The pageant seeks to recognize the accomplishments of each girl while encouraging her to set goals for the future.