Sissy Stricklin

The 2011 Orange Queen Selection Ceremony took place on Saturday, September 10, and this year’s Fair Queen is contestant number four, Sissy Stricklin.

Danica Ansardi and Dale Benoit presided over the event that Saturday evening at Belle Chasse High School Auditorium, providing introductions for all the contestants on to the stage. Judges, brought in from outside the Parish to keep the competition impartial, were judging the girls on the clarity of their answers, poise and beauty, and the unequivocal ability to not trip on a dress that glides along the floor, right under one’s own feet with every step.

The contestants for the Orange Festival Queen (in the order of appearance) were Claire Cox, Hilary Freeman, Alexandra Belair, Sissy Stricklin, Christen Hebert, Laney Matte and Haley Couvillion.

After the first round of judging, contestants three, two and four (Belair, Freeman and Stricklin) were selected as the final three. The judges then tabulated their final decision of who would best represent the Parish at the various functions and events that are the responsibility of the Orange Queen, and Stricklin came out on top.

In her own assessment, hours before being crowned, Stricklin said that going out for Queen was destiny.

“I decided to run for Orange Queen because I was born and raised in the Parish, and it was my dream since I was a little girl,” Sticklin said.

Not suprising, considering the Royal lineage surrounding Sticklin, including her grandfather, Dickie Buras, who was King in 1993; her uncle, Councilman Anthony Buras who was King in 2005; and cousins, 1980 Orange Queen Misty Buras and Bill Bubrig, the 2009 Orange King.

Stricklin is attending Ursuline Academy, and plans to attend college and medical school to become a licensed dermatologist.
And for those of you wondering, her favorite citrus: the kumquat.
Also held that day was the Teen-Queen competition. Only the second year in its history, the ceremony carried the same poise and grace as the Queen selection.

The winners circle for the Teen-Queen contest consisted of: Ms. Congeniality—Morgan Lagasse, Second Runner up—Emilyn Guey, First-Runner up—Olivia Bubrig, and Lindsey Lonadier was named the 2011 Teen-Queen.