Poplarville High School graduate Sadie Hubbard is representing Pearl River County at the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Competition next week.

A representative from Pearl River County has competed for the last five years said Brittany Krutzfeldt, Director of Miss Hospitality for Pearl River County.

“The basis of Miss Hospitality is to create awareness and tourism for our local areas as well as Mississippi,” Krutzfeldt

said.

The winner of the competition will travel across the U.S. promoting tourism and ecotourism in Mississippi.

“I want to be a part of the growth and economic development in our state and to me hospitality means friendly and welcoming. I think that Pearl River County and Mississippi fit that perfectly,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard is the hospitality ambassador for Pearl River County and prepared a speech and commercial script promoting the county. She will recite both on stage at the competition, Hubbard said. Hubbard is preparing with mock interviews and by practicing her speech in front of small crowds, she said.

Hubbard’s commercial highlights local businesses she visits in her everyday life, like Apple’s Ltd. and Paul’s Pastry, as well as outdoor activities available in the area, she said.

This is the first pageant Hubbard will compete in and she is excited for the evening gown competition, where she’ll get to walk onstage in a royal blue dress. Hubbard is also excited for the experiences off-stage, like meeting girls from other counties in Mississippi, and doing community service with other competitors, she said.

“It would be an honor to travel around the country and promote our state and promote tourism and it would help further my education and scholarships,” Hubbard said.

The competition will be Friday and Saturday July 26 and 27, at 8 p.m. in Hattiesburg at the Hattiesburg Saenger Theater.