On Friday, Jan, 12, eight young women from Baldwin County's Eastern Shore were selected to represent the Dogwood Trail Maids, expanding the court from six for the first time in the program's 65-year-history. What did not change this year was the hard work that goes into preparing for the pageant where the young women compete to be selected to wear one of the six traditional colors (along with a $1,500 scholarship from the Eastern Shore Optimist Club) and represent the program through 250 appearances over the next 365 days.

The process begins in September with recruitment at high schools throughout the Eastern Shore but ramps up the following month. Photos shown for this story are all from rehearsals.

"We start rehearsing in early October and go every Tuesday night and Sunday afternoon for a couple hours each, only taking Thanksgiving and Christmas off; that's about it," said Susan Harrell, who has been choreographing the show for more than 20 years. "They learn the opening production number, an eveningwear production number, they work on their skits, they work on the interview questioning. It's a lot."

With the contestants coming from all over the Eastern Shore, it's an opportunity for young women to meet peers they might not have through other social groups or extracurricular activities. Harrell said she thinks that even for the girls who aren't selected, the experience of being a part of the pageant and, more specifically, the preparations leading up to it, can form strong bonds.

"We think they really do learn from each other through this process," she said, "and form some wonderful friendships."