KINGSTON — This coming Saturday evening the stage will be set, the judges ready and the tiaras polished as four local students sing, dance, walk the stage and display their intelligence to win the Miss Kingston crown and a $1,000 scholarship to further their education.

Piper Sellers, Chloe Stamper, Taylor Wall and Samantha Stricklin will compete in the interview, creative display, impromptu question and evening gown facets of the pageant. Three of these girls will replace Miss Kingston 2006 Paige Woodside and princesses Felicia Perl and Amber Hoak in representing Kingston in other communities.

“This is such a great organization,” said Miss Kingston Director Leslie Burns. “It helps girls with school, and even the girls who don’t win come away with something… I’m so proud of all of them, it takes a lot of courage to get up on that stage. I really respect them.”

Burns said many of the skills Woodside, Perl and Hoak learned as Miss Kingston participants apply to their everyday life. Woodside had to do an interview for the college she will be attending, Gonzaga University, and she told Burns it was much easier after getting up on stage and answering questions in front of a large audience.

“These girls have set some pretty high standards,” Burns said of the current Miss Kingston royalty. “Every year I think I can’t get a better court, and every year it gets better. They always exceed my expectations. Each year we get such a diverse group.”

The evening will also include performances from local musicians, but the spotlight will be on the four young women competing for the crown.