Eight Eastern Shore students were selected to serve as goodwill ambassadors as the 2026 Dogwood Trail Court following the 66th Annual Dogwood Trail Pageant and Scholarship Program.

The pageant, held Saturday, Jan. 17, featured energetic dance performances, colorful costumes and creative skits inspired by this year’s theme, “Flower Power.” According to a news release, a total of 43 participants competed and were evaluated on essays, interviews, creative introductions and presence and composure.

After preliminary judging, 14 finalists advanced and answered randomly selected questions on stage. The finalists were Bayside Academy junior Ava Bindon and sophomore Anna Grace Goffinet; Daphne High School junior Madelyn Tatum and sophomore Juliana Cassagne; Fairhope High School juniors Avalee Moree, Avery Payne, Piper Phillips, Sadie MacLean Turner and Francis Watkins and sophomores Molly Harbison and Katelynn Horne; Spanish Fort High School junior Millie Cross and sophomore McKenna Bailey; and St. Michael Catholic High School sophomore Mary Michael Blackmon.

From that group, eight young women were selected to represent the Eastern Shore during a one-year term on the Dogwood Trail Court the release said. They are Bindon and Goffinet of Bayside Academy; Fairhope High School juniors Payne, Phillips, Turner and Watkins and sophomore Harbison; and Spanish Fort High School junior Cross.

Each court member will receive a $1,500 college scholarship from the Eastern Shore Optimist Club and a custom-designed costume celebrating the area’s floral heritage and local artists.

JoAnn Broadus, executive director of the program since 1994, praised this year’s participants.

“The participants in this year's program were some of the brightest, most talented and energetic young women I have had the opportunity to work with over my tenure. We had 43 winners, and we are proud of each,” Broadus said in the release.

The new court members join a distinguished group of 354 alumni from the program, which has reached more than 2,000 young women across the Eastern Shore. Alumni include a Fulbright Scholar, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholar and multiple National Merit Scholars. Former participants have gone on to careers as doctors, PhDs, attorneys, entrepreneurs, educators, engineers, architects and community leaders. Former U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin was among the 10 finalists in 1974.

Additional scholarships and awards were also presented during the program:

• A $500 scholarship for most ads sold went to Piper Macklem of Fairhope High School.

• A $500 scholarship for highest dollar ad sales was awarded to Sloane Dyess of Daphne High School.
• The $500 first-place essay award went to Avalee Moree of Fairhope High School.
• A $250 second-place essay award was presented to Alison Few of Spanish Fort High School.
• A $250 third-place essay award went to Ava Bindon of Bayside Academy.
• A $500 scholarship for best interview was awarded to Avery Payne of Fairhope High School.
• A $500 scholarship for best creative introduction went to Jean Pearson of Fairhope High School.
• A $500 scholarship for best presence and composure was awarded to Sadie MacLean Turner of Fairhope High School.
• The $500 Crystal Kae Davis Spirit of Dogwood award went to Campbell Phillips of Fairhope High School.
• The $500 Natalie Broadus Anusiewicz Eternal Optimist award was presented to Kaitlyn Kelly and Piper Phillips of Fairhope High School and Riley Bamford of Daphne High School.

Following the pageant, the newly selected court attended a welcome reception where their official colors were revealed.

The 2026 Dogwood Trail Court will make its public debut at noon Saturday, March 21, during the 74th Annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival.