By Toni Milbourne [email protected]
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Jefferson County’s own Karrington Childress was extremely excited to compete in the 2023 Miss West Virginia pageant held at Martinsburg’s Airborne Event Center. But that participation excitement was pale in comparison to what she felt when she was crowned Miss West Virginia 2023.
“I woke up this morning and wondered if I had been dreaming,” Childress said in an interview Sunday, following three days of competition, culminating in the crowning Saturday night.
Competing and placing or receiving a crown is not something new to Childress, who earned her first as Little Miss Jefferson County Fair when she was four years old. She then competed over the years at each of the fair pageants, always placing though never earning the top title again in the fair contests. She then continued to compete, winning and serving two years as Miss Shenandoah (2021 and 2023) and as Miss Morgantown (2022) before capturing the Miss West Virginia title.
In addition to the top title, Childress was the recipient of the Preliminary Evening Gown award and the World Changer Award during the weekend’s competition. …