Kinder’s own Julia Claire Williams was named Miss Louisiana Saturday evening, June 19, in Monroe, at the 57th pageant held there.
As the competition entered its third day, its final events were televised across the state. The 30 contestants vying for over 60,000 in scholarships, a half million in in-kind scholarships, were introduced. When the Top 10 finalists were named, Williams was the seventh person added to the list which included in order of selection – McKenzie Connelly, Miss Atchafalaya; Lily Gayle, Miss Green and Gold; Gracie Reichman, Miss Louisiana Tech University; Jourdan Waddell, Miss Union Parish; Asja Jordan, Miss Taste of the Twin Cities; Williams, Miss Heart of Pilot; Monica Whitman, Miss Dixie Gem Peach; Anna-Katherine Thompson, Miss Spirit of Ruston; and Kaitryana Leinbach, representing Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival.
Williams answered her on-stage question on face-to-face instruction and what did she think would be the effects from the Covid virtual learning days. Williams said she believed it would have a negative impact because she believed students “would not retain as much knowledge as they should.”
In the talent competition, Williams performed a jazz dance to the song “Last Dance.”
And when the contest led to the Top Five candidates, Williams was named as the fourth contestant which included Waddell, Leinbach, Connelly, Williams and Reichman, chosen in that order.
The contestants shared their social impact projects and answered a question for the judges before the winners were named. Williams said her project began with a second-grade classmate who was bullied. Her social project “Find your FREDDIE” (Fostering Rewarding Engagements with Disabled and Disadvantaged Youth) focusses on working with disabled and disadvantaged youth. She explained the goal is to get children to reach out and be kind to others with special developmental or medical needs. She works with organizations like the Boys and Girls Club.
When asked about getting others to accept her strategy of working with these types of youths, she said it happens in her work in the emergency room at St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe. When hospital workers meet underprivileged or disabled children seeking medical assistance, they can take extra time in assisting their patients thus finding their own FREDDIEs. She said they are able to assist with their medical needs and offer other services.
As the names were called out for placement of the Top Five candidates based on their scores, Connelly was named fourth runnerup. Waddell was named third runnerup, and Reichman was named second runnerup. Leinbach and Williams held hands facing each other as Williams was named Miss Louisiana 2021.
With the win, Williams will receive a $10,000 scholarship. She also received the preliminary talent award of $1,000, a $500 scholarship as the first runnerup for Community Service, a $500 scholarship as first runnerup for Healthy Living and was one of four contestants to win a $500 STEM scholarship.
This is not Williams’ first title, but it is something she has wanted to do she said since she was a little girl.
“Honestly, it’s a feeling I don’t have words to describe,” she said Monday morning after her win. She recalled sitting in front of the television as a young girl and dreaming about walking in those shoes one day. “To think I’m wearing those shoes that I once dreamed about,” she said. “Overall I’m really excited.”
No stranger to the pageantry world, Williams was the 2013 Jr. Miss Allen Parish, 2015 Miss Louisiana Outstanding Teen, 2017 Miss Allen Parish, 2018 Queen of Queens for LAFF (Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals) and 2020/2021 Miss Heart of Pilot.
As Queen of Queens, she traveled the state to represent the fairs and festivals and promote Louisiana, something she will once again do as Miss Louisiana. She also will represent the state in the Miss America pageant. No date has been announced, but she believes it may be held in December.
When referring to Kinder, Williams said, “I’m really proud to put Kinder on the map. And, I’m extremely grateful for the outpouring love and support from back home.”
She said many of her friends and families sent congratulatory messages to her after her win. She said it was really nice how many people reached out to her to acknowledge her win.
She is the daughter of Angela Palermo LaBuff and Jim Williams. She is the granddaughter of Tony and Tina Palermo and Ruby Palermo, all of Sulphur, and Joella LaBuff of Kinder and the late Jimmy LaBuff Sr.
Williams is a 4.0 graduate of Kinder High School. She spent two years at McNeese for her undergraduate studies before transferring to ULM (University of Louisiana at Monroe). She graduated in December of 2020, after one-and-a-half years there, with the distinction of summa cum laude. She graduated with a degree in biology with a pre-med concentration and a minor in chemistry. She plans to attend medical school next year after she relinquishes her title of Miss Louisiana.
“I’m looking forward to this year,” she said.
