By: HEATHER BOGARD
Associate Editor
The 28th annual Miss Festival de la Viande Boucanée Pageant was held Sunday, April 24, at the Northside Civic Center in Ville Platte. Winners and runners-up were announced as follows:
Teen Miss Viande Boucanée: Alexis Jaden Bordelon, the 15-year-old daughter of Jade and Heather Bordelon of Ville Platte, was named Teen Miss Viande Boucanèe. She is a freshman at Pine Prairie High School, where she is a member of the cheerleading squad, Beta Club and FCS Club. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, visiting new places, creating new memories, competing in pageants, meeting new people, and making new friends. She participates in many community events as a member of her school organizations. She loves representing her various pageant titles and participating in activities with her fellow queens. In addition, Ward loves music and attending concerts, and has a passion for helping others in need. She is an honor roll student who was nominated for fifth and eighth grade student of the year. Her future plans include attending LSU to become a pediatric surgeon.
Scottie Carriere, the 15-year-old daughter of Carrie Miller Clifford of Ville Platte, was named first runner-up to the new teen queen.
Miss Viande Boucanée: Shelby Nola Ward, the 22-year-old daughter of Judy Charlene Ward of Franklinton, was crowned Miss Viande Boucanèe. She plans on attending Petra College in the fall of 2022 to study phlebotomy. Her hobbies include reading, writing, traveling, meeting new people, supporting organizations that help veterans, training her niece for the pageant world and representing the great state of Louisiana. She is a member of Popularhead Missionary Baptist Church and volunteers with the American Legion, as well as various clean ups and donations to help nursing homes, animal shelters and victins of Louisiana storms. Ward’s future plans include becoming a phlebotomist then continuing her education to become a nurse and eventually become a doctor specializing in cardiology. She said, “Being a role model for younger girls by showing them what it takes to be the best version of themselves and by them helping others is the best reward you could ever ask for.” She added, “Throughout my life I have received many awards and honors, but none has touched my heart more that receiving the bronze medal for Veterans of Foreign Wars during my senior year of high school for my leadership, dedication and devotion to the MC JROTC.”
Ms. Viande Boucanée:
Kayla McElfresh, 31, of Lake Charles, was selected as Ms. Viande Boucanée. She is married to Russll McElfresh and is the mother of three children. She is a certified doula and prenatal yoga instructor. She enjoys traveling the state of Louisiana with her family, building her doula business, and helping raise funds for non-profit organizations. She is president of two non-profit organizations and participates in Relay for Life as well as her children’s school activities. McElfresh proudest moments were giving birth to her three children and serving as foster mom to 14 children. Her future plans include completing her doula certifications to become a full-time doula. She shared, “It has always been a dream of mine to represent a Ms. title associated with the military and veterans.”
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