Three women with ties to Augusta will be represented at the Miss Georgia Pageant next month.
Sarah Templeton, Cierra Williams and Alexis Ezeanii will compete for the title June 14-17 at the RiverCenter of Performing Arts in Columbus.
Templeton is Miss Augusta, Williams is Miss Augusta University, and Ezeanii, a recent Augusta University graduate, is Miss Garden City.
Templeton has a focus on helping women struggling with eating disorders.
The University of Georgia graduate developed an eating disorder as a high school student.
“I signed with a modeling agency in 2017. It was an awesome experience, but it was a trigger,” said Templeton. “Plus, I was a competitive dancer, dancing five hours a day.”
People would comment on her weight loss and that made her feel good about herself, but it also fueled her spiral down that destructive path.
“I just wanted to keep looking smaller,” she said. “It was detrimental to me.”
When she went to UGA, her parents realized there was something wrong and got Templeton the help she needed. Sadly, Templeton said, many do not receive the proper mental health care for the disorder.
She travels to talk with other girls and young women about positive relationships with food and having a positive outlook.
Williams, a graduate of Grovetown High School, recently graduated from Augusta University’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences with a degree in computer science.
According to an article in Augusta University’s Jagwire, Williams enjoys her role as a trailblazer for Black women.
“Currently, Black women make up just 3% of the workforce in tech fields, which is crazy to me,” Williams said in the article. “I love not being cookie cutter. I love being the different one, so when I signed up for that first class in high school, and I was one of only two girls in a class of 30 boys, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m sticking with this. I’m going to be the different one.’ Being a minority and a woman in the field never stopped me.”
Computer technology wasn’t Williams first career choice, but her love of math prompted her middle school teacher to introduce Williams to the world of computer coding. The teacher’s husband was a coder and that introduction sparked Williams’ desire to learn more about the field of study.
Since she’s made a trail, she wants others to follow. Her focus is on advancing STEM education in women and underserved populations.
Another Augusta University graduate to walk on the RiverCenter stage is Alexis Ezeanii of Roswell, Ga.
Ezeanii received her degree in cell and molecular biology and minored in music. At Augusta University, she researched Parkinson’s Disease and published a few papers on the work.
She plans to attend the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.
Her area of focus is neurodegenerative disease research and awareness
Also representing Augusta in the Outstanding Teen division is Izabella Windom.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
Support local journalism: Local stories on local people, organizations and events. That’s the focus of Augusta Good News. And you don’t have to go through a paywall to find these stories. An independent voice in Augusta, Ga., Augusta Good News is not funded by a billionaire or a large corporation; it doesn’t have celebrity reporters who have agents. It’s local people who are invested in the community and want to tell its stories. You can support local journalism and help us expand our coverage by becoming a supporter. Through Ko-Fi, you can give once or set up a monthly gift. Click here to learn more. Thank you!
