(left-right) The 2015-16 royalty for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma are Little Miss Ariana Byington from District 11, Miss Choctaw Nation Neiatha Hardy from District 12, and Junior Miss Loren Crosby from District 7.
Ronni Pierce
Choctaw Nation
Tvshka Homma, Okla. - Three new Choctaw royalty were crowned in the Amphitheater to kick off the Labor Day Festival on Sept. 3. The new princesses were crowned in front of an enthusiastice audience and, for the first time, the entire pageant was live streamed.
Ariana Byington was awarded the title in the Little Miss Division. From District 11, she is the daughter of Twanna Byington of McAlester. She attends the 5th grade at Parker Elementary and is a member of the First Baptist Indian Church. She enjoys singing, movies, shopping, softball, basketball, and stickball. She is active with beading, arts and crafts, pow wow dancing, and Native pageants.
In the Junior Miss Division, Loren Crosby from District 7 was crowned. She is the daughter of Kenneth and Elizabeth Crosby of Wright City. She attends 9th grade at Wright City High School. Loren participates in the STAR Program, Choctaw language competition, JOM math awards, Show Choir, and All State District Choir.
And in the Senior Miss Division from District 12, Neiatha Hardy will serve as Miss Choctaw Nation. She is the daugher of Paula Carney of Coalgate. She is a recent graduate of Coalgate High School. Neiatha was on the Superintendant’s Honor Roll. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, teaching Sunday school, and playing softall. She is an active member of FCA, FFA, and District 12 activities.
The Native Praise Choir also performed during the pageant. Founded in 1999, the Choir sings in English, and three languages which represent the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma: Muscogee Creek and Seminole Nations, the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, and Cherokee.
The outgoing royalty Kyra Wilson, Summer Moffitt, and Nikki Amos were also honored for their year-long reign in a special presentation.