Watching Arkansas' Miss America preliminary pageant -- which started with an arrival celebration June 11 in Little Rock -- one name kept popping up. Ebony Mitchell, competing as Miss Dogwood, won the preliminary evening gown competition, the preliminary on-stage interview competition and the preliminary talent competition with her tap dance to "Respect."
Before it was all over on June 18, the 25-year-old had also won the Asher Ray Mentor Award, The "All Grown Up" Award, the Overall Dance Award, the Grace Scholarship in Memory of Madelyn Grace Johnson, the Bill Tarkington Overall Evening Gown Award, the Sarah Slocum Overall Private Interview Award, the Scott Landers Business Profession Marketplace Scholarship, $44,900 in scholarships, more than $75,000 in awards, wardrobe, transportation and gifts -- and the title of Miss Arkansas.
It was the culmination of a journey that started with dance lessons when she was 4 years old, growing up the youngest in a single-parent family in Harrison with brother Caleb, who is one year older, and sister Rasheen, who is two years older.
"I have the best family," says Mitchell, who is calm, collected and seems very much the girl next door. "Our mother, Hulene, is the best! She is our rock and always made sure we had everything we needed. We learned quickly how to be independent and resilient. Our mother instilled those qualities in us at a very young age.
"My family and friends helped me stay confident in myself and helped me realize that my authentic self is who I am and who I need to be at all times," she adds.
Ebony was not just a dancer but "played softball in the spring, and in the fall would play baseball on the boys' teams since they never had enough girls in the fall sign up for softball," says her mother, Hulene Ongola. It would never have occurred to her to enter either of her daughters in a pageant, Ongola adds, although she watched the Miss America Pageant every year on TV.
"Then one day Ebony's sister, Rasheen, brought home a flyer from school with information about the fundraiser pageant for Miss North Central Arkansas," Ongola remembers. "Rasheen begged to enter the pageant. That is how it all started. We had no idea what we were doing, but Rasheen had so much fun getting dressed up and walking on the stage that she had to do the next local pageant.
"Ebony watched Rasheen doing the local pageants and decided she wanted to do them, too. I was surprised because Ebony was so shy, but she made sure she was completely prepared to do her first local pageant, which she won," Ongola adds. "My opinion on pageants has definitely changed since both my daughters started doing them. Ebony is now an accomplished young lady who is confident in her public speaking ability, makes goals for herself and does the work needed to meet these goals. Just an incredible journey."
Miss Arkansas Journey
It was Eudora Mosby, Miss Arkansas 2005, who influenced "little Ebby" initially, Mitchell says.
"She was the first Miss Arkansas I met," she remembers. "I was 8 or 9 years old when I met her, and it changed my life. She made me feel like I was valued, seen, and capable of doing great things like she did. From that moment, I knew that I wanted to be Miss Arkansas. The Miss UA [Diamond State] Princess Pageant was my first pageant in the Miss America Organization.
"Allison Waldrip was Miss UA when I was Miss UA Princess," she adds. "I thought she was the queen of the world. She was poised, kind and intelligent. She treated me like I was a true princess! I learned how a 'Miss' candidate should behave and how influential she is."
That's also when Mitchell met pageant director and Miss Arkansas public relations director Toni Lindsey, who was her first director when she competed as Miss Northwest Arkansas' Outstanding Teen in 2010 and her last as Miss Dogwood in 2022.
"The Miss Arkansas Organization had created a mentoring program in 2005 called the Diamond State Prince and Princess Program," Lindsey remembers. "Whoever won our princess competition would be mentored by Miss University of Arkansas and be invited to make appearances with her throughout the year. Ebony won with near perfect scores. She was a vision in a light turquoise gown -- so very beautiful, poised and polished. Most 9- or 10-year-olds are bursting with energy and all over the place, but little Ebby was very calm and composed; she was mature beyond her years. Her grace and inner beauty were evident even at such a young age.
"I knew when I first met her that she would accomplish anything she set her mind to."
Although she previously competed in the Miss Arkansas Pageant as Miss Metro, Miss UCA, Miss Central Arkansas and Miss North Central Arkansas and in the Outstanding Teen program as Miss North Central Arkansas' Outstanding Teen, Miss Lakes of the Northwest Outstanding Teen and Miss Northwest Arkansas' Outstanding Teen, it's not as though pageants were the only thing on which Mitchell was focused. Using the $20,000 in scholarship money she received along the way, she also completed a Bachelor's of Business Administration degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 2019 and is a 2022 graduate of John Brown University in Siloam Springs, where she received her Master's of Health Administration.
"For my education and career, I wanted to graduate with as little student debt as possible," Mitchell says. "With the job of Miss Arkansas, I was able to do that. I plan to continue my education and receive a Doctorate of Business so I can teach at the collegiate level."
Mitchell would not have been able to compete for the Miss Arkansas title this year had it not been for the covid-19 pandemic. Because everyone lost a year of eligibility, the Miss America Organization raised the age of eligibility by one year.
"What a blessing! As soon as I heard the news, I immediately jumped back in," says Mitchell, who finished first runner-up in 2021. "I knew I wanted to compete for the job as long as I could. I'm blessed to have been awarded the job this year."
What's next?
Interviewed about 10 days after winning the Miss Arkansas title, Mitchell said she was "still getting the hang of things! It still doesn't seem real. I am hoping to catch on soon, but for now I am living the dream." That dream comes with an apartment in Conway, a car, a full schedule of appearances in Arkansas and time to plan for the Miss America Pageant in December at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. "Before Miss America, I will work on perfecting my competition phases while also being the best Miss Arkansas I can be," she says.
She'll be speaking on a social impact initiative she calls "'A Responsible Digital You,' which is all about teaching children how to be safe online and how not to fall victim to online predators."
"I have a friend who was a victim to an online predator, and it's what really put this issue on my heart to bring awareness to," she says. "I've collaborated with the office of the Attorney General, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, Special Agent Luke Smith of the Arkansas Cyber Crimes Unit, and the Arkansas Department of Education to protect Arkansas Children. There has been a rise in online activity of children's devices during the pandemic. This is why my social impact is so crucial. It's my goal as Miss Arkansas to teach children and parents how to be safe online and to make the state of Arkansas a safer place."
Mom Hulene Ongola is quite sure that Ebony will make an impact.
"I have no doubt that everyone will see Ebony as a genuine, caring, loving person who goes out of her way to make sure you are happy," she says. "There is nothing fake about Ebony; what you see is what you get.
"She is so thrilled to represent Arkansas at Miss America that she takes nothing for granted," Ongola adds. "Ebony appreciates everyone who has helped her along the way. I know she will make us all proud at Miss America, and I cannot wait to get to watch Ebony on the Miss America stage."
"I knew she would be a fantastic Miss Arkansas and a wonderful representative for this organization," Lindsey agrees. "She truly is what this system is about -- she is a true testament to perseverance and dedication.
"When I'm asked if I want her to win Miss America or come home as Miss Arkansas I'm torn," she admits. "Ebony is absolutely qualified and capable of becoming our next Miss America -- and would be a magnificent one, too -- so of course I want her to win Miss America! It would be amazing to watch her make a difference in the lives of people across the country like she's done for the last few years across the Natural State. And of course I'd be so proud to watch her be crowned the 101st Miss America!
"But I also know how much Ebony truly loves Arkansas and the people in it, and how long she's wanted to be Miss Arkansas and travel this state and change the lives of those in her home state. So, a little part of me wants to see her come home, so we can have our fantastic Miss Arkansas back."
Ebony Mitchell of Harrison, seen Monday, June 27, 2022, is Miss Arkansas for 2022. Visit nwaonline.com/220630Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
Ebony Mitchell of Harrison, seen Monday, June 27, 2022, is Miss Arkansas for 2022. Visit nwaonline.com/220630Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)Miss Arkansas
Homecoming Celebration
When: 2 p.m. July 23
Where: L.E. “Gene” Durand Center, 303 N. Main St. in Harrison
Cost: Free
RSVP: Email [email protected]