News release Public Information Office  SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Angey Saucier Date: 6/11/04   FIVE SOUTHEASTERN STUDENTS VIE FOR MISS LOUISIANA CROWN       HAMMOND – Five Southeastern Louisiana University students will participate in the Miss Louisiana pageant in Monroe June 17-19, the largest group ever to represent Southeastern in the pageant’s history.       Kimberly Dottolo of Ponchatoula, Jennifer Louise Soileau of Slidell, Heather William of Slidell, Jessica Young of Franklinton and Blair Abene of Hammond will compete with 31 other young women for the title of Miss Louisiana and its automatic bid to the Miss America pageant.       Dottolo, a senior mathematics major who is also co-captain of the Southeastern Lionettes, won the Miss Southeastern 2004 crown after winning the swimsuit and talent segments of the university’s annual  pageant and tying for first place in the evening gown segment. She is the recipient of the TOPS Performance Award and is a Southeastern Dean’s List student. She is an active volunteer for Special Olympics and has adopted as her platform, “G.I.V.E. SOME” (Get Involved, Volunteer, Encourage: Special Olympics and ME).       Jennifer Soileau, a junior elementary education major, holds the title of Miss Slidell. She is a former Miss Southeastern (2003) and is a 2004 finalist for the Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian Award presented by Brown University. Her platform for the pageant is “The Value of Music Education in Schools” which incorporates her involvement in music in the arts since a young age.       Heather Williams, a sophomore mass communication major, is Miss Camelia City. An honor roll student, Williams’ attributes her platform of “Self Esteem 4 Young Women” to her personal experiences and the positive results of high self-esteem.       Jessica Young, a graduate student in organizational communication, serves as the reigning Miss River Cities. As an undergraduate student, she graduated with a 4.0 grade point average, receiving Southeastern’s President’s Medal for Academic Excellence. She is passionate about her platform, the “Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Campaign,” in which she shares her own life experiences in hopes of affecting at least one person in need.       Blair Abene, a vocal music freshman, will attend the pageant as Ms. Ark-La-Miss Fair. In 2004, she was chosen homecoming queen at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, where she was also voted “Best All Around” for three academic years and was a member of the National Honor Society. She is Miss Teen Louisiana 2002, and takes her platform, “Tourette’s Awareness Reaching Teens,” to heart based on her own struggles with the disorder.       Miss Louisiana , a non-profit organization staffed by volunteers, recognizes young women ages 17 to 24 for their community support, educational accomplishments and talent. Miss Louisiana 2004 will become the state’s official hostess and go on to compete in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City on Sept. 18.       The Miss Louisiana pageant can be seen at 8 p.m. June 19 on participating television networks.