David Distelhorst Rachel Scholten, 18, Miss Licking County 2002, passes on the crown to Sarah Armstrong, of Newark, Saturday at the Midland Theatre.

NEWARK -- Sarah Armstrong is accustomed to being on stage, but she had the fright of her life on Saturday night when she was crowned Miss Licking County.

As a former dancer with the J Company, she has been around the Miss America Scholarship pageant, but never as a contestant.

In her first pageant, the 20-year-old Armstrong not only captured the crown but more than $2,200 in scholarship money. Armstrong, a 2000 Newark High School graduate, is currently attending Otterbein University and majoring in public relations. She plans to use the scholarship for law school.

"I'm shocked," Armstrong said. "The girls were all so talented. This was a great experience."

Armstrong was chosen from a field of eight other girls, aged 17 to 21. The Miss Licking County Scholarship Program is a closed pageant, meaning the women must live, work or go to school in the county.

Rachel Kindig, 17, from Newark, was the first runner-up and earned $850, and Annette Yankulov, 17, from Newark, was the second runner-up and earned $800. The contestants were very musically talented this year, with five of the nine playing musical instruments. Armstrong performed a jazz dance for the talent portion of the competition.

For Renee Autherson Brown, executive director of the Miss Licking County Scholarship Program, this was a truly special pageant. She was able to bring the pageant back to the Midland Theatre, its original home back in the late '70s. Miss Licking County was one of the last events held in the Midland Theatre before it closed in 1978 and the pageant was discontinued

Brown, of Glenford, bought the franchise along with her mother, June Green-Warner, four years ago. Brown is no stranger to the pageant circuit, as she tap-danced her way to the Miss Ohio title in 1992.

"We took a big step up in the production this year," Brown said. "With coming back to the Midland and the best entertainment. The talent of the contestants was the best we've ever had. This will be our home for a long time."

Armstrong still lives in Newark and has an older brother. Her parents Tom and Marlene Armstrong were on hand to see her capture the crown.

"I knew she could do it," Marlene Armstrong said.

Originally published Monday, October 28, 2002