has Pike County ties

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

Jan. 8, 2000 10 PM

Aryanez Alburquerque will represent Pike County in the Alabama Junior Miss Program Jan.12 through 21.

She will leave Friday for 10-whirlwind days of Junior Miss activities. And, another of the 56 young women who will vie for the coveted title of Alabama Junior Miss will also have close ties to Pike County.

Dale County Junior Miss Maureen Mobley is originally from Brundidge. Her parents Ronny and Judy Jackson Mobley are graduates of Pike County High School. Her dad was a four-time All-American golfer at Troy State University. He played on two national championship golf teams and later coached the TSU golf team for two years. The Mobleys own and operate Jackson Hardware, a third generation Brundidge business, which is celebrating 100 years on Main Street this year.

Maureen’s grandparents are Lawrence and Delatha Mobley and the late Bill and Maureen Jackson, of Brundidge.

Maureen is a senior at Carroll High School in Ozark. In addition to being named Dale County’s Junior Miss in July, Maureen was the winner in the scholarship, interview and essay categories.

"I’m already a little nervous about competing in the Alabama Junior Miss Program, she said. "The Dale County Junior Miss Program was the first competition of this kind for me. I’m not a pageant person, but the Junior Miss Program is a different in that it recognizes well-rounded individuals and that’s what I strive to be. I’m excited about being with so many other girls who have similar interests. I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of fun."

Maureen was at the Pike County Junior Miss Program and saw Aryanez Alburquerque win.

"She was great," Maureen said. "I had heard so many good things about her and I was excited to finally meet her. Everything I had heard about her is true. I’m looking forward to spending time with her in Montgomery."

Because she grew up in Brundidge and is still part of the community, Maureen said she feels as though she is "in a way" representing Pike County, too.

Her first experience on stage was at Troy State in "The Sound of Music," which was directed by Phil Kelly.

"I was very young, but that experience got me interested in being on stage," she said.

Maureen will sing "You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun" from "Annie Get Your Gun" in the state program. She credits her stage experiences at TSU for directing her interests toward music and drama.

At, Carroll High,

Maureen is captain of the Eagle Reps, who are school/community ambassadors. She is a member of the varsity volleyball team and a service and academic award nominee for Wendy’s Heisman Athlete. Maureen is Carroll High’s Good Citizenship Girl and the HOBY Leadership Representative. She has also been chosen as a delegate to Girls’ State.

Maureen is very involved in the Ozark theater group. She has performed in many of the group’s productions and was student director of the spring production of "Hello, Dolly," and was also a leading member of the cast.

As an active member of First United Methodist Church of Ozark, Maureen serves as youth lay delegate to the annual conference. She is also the girls’ choir director and a member of the special needs class training team.