Poplar Springs alumnus competes in National Pageant

Graceville native, Natalie Holton has recently achieved note-worthy status in the pageant community. With family ties to Graceville that go back generations, Natalie made a place for herself in the pageant community. Natalie graduated from Poplar Springs High School Summa Cum Laude and is now enrolled at Troy University. She is majoring in History Education with the hopes of becoming a teacher at one of our local schools.

Throughout her journey in the pageant world, Natalie honorably held several local and state titles, including Miss Poplar Springs, Miss Panhandle, Miss Holmes County, and Graceville’s Miss Harvest Festival. She also placed second runner up in the 2022 Miss North Florida pageant and fourth runner up in 2023.

Recently, Natalie held the title of Royal International Miss Sunshine State and represented her “big time dreams with a small-town heart” at the Royal International Miss pageant in Orlando, FL, where she received an award for her fun fashion attire. Natalie stated, “Although I did not receive a Top 15 placement, it was a great experience from which I gained so much.”

For now, Natalie plans to focus on school, but notes that she is “certainly not done with pageants.” Natalie went on to explain that she enjoys judging, being an emcee for pageant systems across the area, and she plans to continue to compete locally. Holton also provides coaching for “those wanting to improve their interview abilities and walk patterns for upcoming pageants.”

When asked about the best part of being a part of the pageant community, Natalie said “the friends and confidence that I gain through each pageant.” She went on to express gratefulness for her “pageant family” and their involvement in bringing “a shy girl in school” out of her shell, saying it “helped me push myself outside of my comfort zone and have more self-confidence.”

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