By By Lindsey Sherrill
One local young lady has taken the Escambia County High School homecoming queen title all the way to California.
Brooke Elizabeth McGhee, the 2003 ECHS homecoming queen, traveled to Anaheim, Calif. Thursday through Tuesday to compete in the America's Homecoming Queen pageant.
Brooke advanced to the pageant by winning the 24th annual Alabama's Homecoming Queen Pageant held earlier this year in Birmingham. As winner of the pageant she received a scholarship and other prizes.
The national pageant included an interview, evening wear competition, speech and video presentation from each candidate.
"We're not really judged on everything, but so far the judges have been present at every event," Brooke said on Monday afternoon. "I'm so excited! The evening wear competition starts in an hour and a half!"
On Monday night, Brooke, along with the contestants from the other states, participated in the pageant held at the Anaheim Marriot.
"Actually, there were only 49 of us," Brooke said with a laugh. "Hawaii didn't show up."
The contestants were escorted by their fathers before the judges narrowed the selection to ten and then five girls. Miss Ohio Chelsea Ballint was crowned America's Homecoming Queen.
"It went well," Brooke said. "I didn't win anything, put it was fun and a good experience. And I had a blast in California!"
Brooke a recent graduate of Escambia County High School. She is the daughter of David and Cyndi McGhee of Atmore.