CRESTVIEW — Seventeen princesses graced the stage with poise during Walker Elementary School's annual beauty pageant on Saturday.

The following students were crowned:

• Miss Walker: Meryha Cahill

• 1st Alternate: Kaylah Sears

• 2nd Alternate and Photogenic: Caitlyn Dill

Petite Miss Walker: Cadance Simmons

• 1st Alternate: Tylee Johnson

• 2nd Alternate: Bayleigh Meadows

• Photogenic: Asline Heringer

The pageant's proceeds will be used to support the fund for an electronic sign for the school. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Miss Walker crowned May 17

Soon, kids will be out of school, and you know they'll be bored and itching for fun.

So try this boredom buster!

Creating a grass handprint is simple and doesn’t require special equipment.

Materials

•Container to plant in (Ensure the top is large enough for your handprint. Pie plates work great and are super-cheap!)

•Potting soil

•Grass seed

•Writing utensil (pen, pencil or marker)

•Scissors (preferably safety scissors)

•Construction paper or card stock

•Water

Instructions

•Trace your hand on a piece of construction paper.

•Use the scissors to cut out the image.

•Fill the container almost to the top with potting soil; leave at least an inch of space.

•Immerse your paper handprint in water.

•Remove it from the water quickly and lay it out on a flat surface.

•Sprinkle grass seed over the paper handprint until it is covered.

•Lay the seed-covered handprint atop the dirt in the container and cover it with a quarter-inch of soil.

•Ensure the pot receives adequate sunlight and water as directed on the seed packet your seeds came from. In a few days, you should have a grassy handprint!

It's a great introductory lesson to gardening or plant sciences, and it’s just plain cool.

Haley Worley is an agent at the University of Florida's Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: Growing a grass handprint makes a great summer DIY project

CRESTVIEW — Madeline and Samantha Redmond are doing what they can to participate in the July 27 Little Miss Magnolia State pageant in Mississippi.

The sisters, 6 and 4, respectively, have collected donations at public events like the May 10 Rise and Unite Music Festival in Crestview, and they've displayed showmanship in several online videos.

Skits featured on their YouTube channel are inspired by their favorite films, Christina Saxton, their mother, said. 

"I would see them play these little roles and I thought that would be really cute to record them," she said.

"Creating a Monster," their latest video, features the girls in a black and white horror send-up with a twist ending to the familiar mad scientist plot.

Acting out storybook fantasies is fun, Madeline said.

"You get to marry a prince," she said. "Plus, I get to have magic friends."

She feels the same excitement for participating in pageants.

"It's fun … we always get to be pretty," Madeline said.

So, why the Little Miss Magnolia State pageant?

Well, the family recently moved from Pearl, Mississippi to be closer to loved ones in Crestview.  

 The girls have participated in the pageant and want to return. Christina, a single mom working two jobs, has raised enough to cover production fees, including a banner and advertisements. Now, they need roughly $450 for admission fees.

Their fundraising account, gofundme.com/maddieandsammie, has helped some, but it's not all about the money, Christina said.

If residents can't donate toward the pageant fund, they can just click play on videos like "Creating a Monster" to be in good spirits.

And if that's the case, just sharing the video is all she asks.

"It's worth it knowing it brings a smile to so many people's faces," she said.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Sisters show talent while raising money for pageant