Adahy Pritchett, of Jones County, is the 2022 Georgia Watermelon Association Queen. Pritchett will spend her reign as queen teaching others about the benefits of watermelon and why watermelon is important.
She said she was born in Macon but has always lived in Jones County. She said she graduated from the Jones County High School in 2017 and attended Dames Ferry Elementary School when she was younger. She said she’s pursuing a degree in early childhood education and a master’s degree in speech therapy at Wesleyan College.
“Staying in Macon for my education, I realize that Jones County has more to offer than Bibb County,” she said. “I didn’t realize that when I was a student in Jones County. Everything is growing here. I did 4-H and played golf in middle school and through high school in Jones County.”
The queen said she was nervous about the pageant to become Georgia Watermelon Association Queen but got through it. She said it was an exciting experience for her, even if she didn’t win.
“In order to become Miss Georgia Watermelon Queen, I had to do a pageant. The pageant is held in St. Simons. In the pageant we had to interview with five judges, do a seed spitting contest, a speech, answer an on-stage question. Our speeches are given to the farmers, who we interact with.” the queen said.
Pritchett said during the pageant, the contestants learn all about watermelons from the farmers. She said it’s a lot of fun. The queen said this was her second time competing, and since she’s now 23 years old, this will be her last time doing pageantry. She said she will be competing again in February fo the national title, though.
“My speech was about how I would help promote the Georgi watermelon, and I gave facts about watermelons to prove I knew about them,” Pritchett said. “I had a quote from Thomas Jefferson in it. I got cold feet, because my parents sat so close to the front, and I was nervous.”
She said she was surprised to win the pageant, and her goal was to have fun with it since it was going to be her last time competing. Pritchett said when she won the title, she won a $5,000 scholarship. She said she already attends Wesleyan College, but now she has another four-year scholarship with Wesleyan College thanks to the pageant.
“I go around and promote Georgia watermelon, and how to pick the perfect watermelon. I go to elementary schools all around. I am also going to races to pass out watermelons and talk about the healthy benefits behind watermelon, so there’s a lot to do,” she said.
The queen said it was important for her to compete again for Georgia Watermelon Association Queen, because winning the title provides great opportunities for her. She said she was nervous, but the title helps her with her public speaking skills, since she’ll have to do speeches so often during her reign.
Pritchett said she’s been doing pageants since she was about four years old. She said it was always a lot of fun. She said pageants have helped her open up more. She said the speech was one of the most important things in the Georgia Watermelon Association Queen pageant.
“It’s been a process, and I’m still learning about watermelon, but it’s a great opportunity,” she said. “I’m going to promote the look, lift, turn method of picking the perfect watermelon. Watermelon is also 100 percent edible and gives you all sorts of vitamins, so stick with watermelon.”
