Courtney

Courtney Norvell, a 19 year old sophmore at Eastern Kentucky University was named Miss Elizabethtown Area 2011, on September 25, 2010 at the Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center. Courtney was selected by a panel of 7 judges from a field of 6 contestants. She sang "St. Louis Blues" and her platform is "March of Dimes." She was also the recipient of the Community Service Award. She will compete for the title of Miss Kentucky in July, 2011 at the Singletary Center for the Arts on the University of Kentucky campus.

Courtney, from Corbin, Kentucky, plans to obtain a Master's Degree in Broadcasting and pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She is on the Dean's List, a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society, National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, a Eastern Kentucky University Retention Scholar, and a Rotary International Scholar.

As a sophomore, Courtney was the founder of the first Corbin High School March of Dimes Club; she is a former tourism spokesperson for Tour SEKY; a member of Eastern Kentucky University Student Government Association; an American Cancer Society member; an Epilepsy WALK of Kentuckiana participant; past member of the Downtown Corbin Revitalization committee; a Storybook Christmas actor; an Empty Stocking Fund participant. She is a Kentucky Colonel - awarded for volunteerism; recipient of the Prudential "Spirit of Community" Award, and the President's Volunteer Service Award.

Courtney performed the role of Glenda the Good Witch in "The Wizard of Oz" at the age of 14; she was recently introduced as a model for TopsinLexington Magazine. She is a teacher's assistant at Little Lambs Preschool, a model for Olivia's Prom & Boutique, and a model for Keith Gibson Dentistry.

Courtney's own personal loss has sparked her passion and love for her platform, "March of Dimes." At birth, her older brother, Brian suffered form Neural-Tube Defect, which is now preventable, in most cases, as a result of the dedication, of the March for Babies campaign and other funding for research. Courtney initially began volunteering and raising awareness for the March of Dimes along with family members and other community leaders as a small child. Through years of service and dedication, her love for the organization and it's members has grown into a passion. The March for Babies campaign is one of the biggest opportunities for fundraising and awareness in the world of voluntary health organizations. Whether it is selling candy bars in local neighborhoods, or forming a team at the office, small steps can be made to form a greater impact in the lives of those who need us most. March of Dimes has a very simple mission...to ensure a healthly life for babies, by educating pregnant women across America with updated research and offering guidance through community services and newsletters. A few months after her French teacher and she founded the first March of Dimes Club at the Corbin High School, they had nearly forty members in the club! They participated in various fundraisers and helped with the local March for Babies, raising over $1,400 for the Corbin March for Babies walk. She recently created a volunteerism website, mainly focused on the aspects of March of Dimes. She joined together with co-workers at Little Lambs Preschool and formed a March for Babies team. They had a goal of at least $500 by the end of September, 2010.

As Miss Kentucky, Courtney would be able to reach across the entire State of Kentucky and work with state and local leaders to touch the lives of countless women and children in the prevention of premature births and birth defects. This can be accomplished by living an active lifestyle, taking a daily multivitamin and, if pregnant, know the signs and symptoms of a premature birth.