Other finalists were Ashley Gayle Dykes, an early childhood education major from Hinesville; Jena McMillan, an accounting major from Fitzgerald; Dana Marie Murray, a nursing major from Baxley; and Heather Rose Walker, a nursing major from Tifton.
Stacey Marie Jones, an agricultural education major from Folkston, won the Essay Award, and Shayla Kisling, an agricultural education major from Douglas, received the Contestants' Award among the 35 participants in the event. The Revue was sponsored by the ABAC Ambassadors.
Padgett was sponsored by the ABAC Choral Program. At ABAC, she is the President of MENC (Music Educators National Conference) and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the Spirit Team, the Jazz Choir, and the Concert Choir. She also tutors music theory and writing.
She was on the Dean's List (Fall 2000 and Spring 2001) and received an Arts Council Scholarship and an ABAC Foundation Music Scholarship.
At Fitzgerald High School, Padgett was a member of the Honor Society and named "most talented" of the senior class. She was also an outstanding choral member. Padgett's other high school activities included the drill team, show choir president, FFA, and the Key Club. She received the American Choral Directors Association Award and an FSU Music Camp Scholarship.
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