Warren Central graduate and current Ms. Wheelchair Mississippi Lisa Ann Redd is on her way to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the 45th annual Ms. Wheelchair America competition.

The pageant is set for Aug. 8 through 14 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, where 26 contestants will compete throughout the week in three separate interview sessions with judges and will make a two-minute speech on their platform before being narrowed down to five contestants who will answer an on-stage question.

“We’ll have meet and greets, we’ll have group activities together for bonding, and then they’ll be preliminary judges questions throughout the week,” Redd said. “Friday night will be speech night, and then Saturday night will be crowning night.”

During the week of competition contestants will have a Leadership Institute where they will participate in workshops.

“It’s a workshop on how to be a leader because as Ms. Wheelchair America and even as Ms. Wheelchair Mississippi we are being leaders,” she said.

Redd was named Ms. Wheelchair Mississippi in March and has been preparing for the national competition with a pageant coach.

“The pageant coach does a trial run of the judge’s questions and helps you (by giving pointers),” she said.

Redd’s platform is the lack of accessibility for all students on playgrounds. This is an issue she is keenly aware of because she is a special education teacher at Morton Elementary School. She lives in Magee.

“We have kids in wheelchairs that sit on the sidelines to watch, and I want to correct that by having a piece of equipment on the playground that they can use,” she said. “Everybody deserves to be able to play.”

In addition to her preparations, as the current state titleholder Redd has traveled the state for different speaking engagements to make people aware of the pageant organization and her platform.

“And then of course shopping. Having to get all the outfits, multiple outfits, shoes and accessories, that’s been the most enjoyable part actually,” she said. “Now I have to figure out how to pack all this stuff.”

Redd is a little nervous about the unknown, but she said she feels prepared and she is excited about traveling and meeting the contestants.

“I’m excited about meeting the other contestant and getting to hear their stories and their platforms,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to building relationships with the other contestants and continue our relationship even after the pageant.”

The pageant is incorporating a People’s Choice Award where anyone can vote for their favorite contestant for $1 at mswheelchairca2010.wix.com/mwapeopleschoice2017. Voting ends at noon Saturday, Aug. 13.

The money raised from the votes will be split where 40 percent will be given to the state program with the most votes and 60 percent will go to a travel fund for Ms. Wheelchair America.

Redd is gathering donations to help fund her trip to Michigan. So far she has raised half the money needed on a Go Fund Me campaign called Ms. Wheelchair Nationals at gofundme.com/2suc4pzs.

“I’m very thankful of that,” she said. “Even when nationals are over, the money donated would go to helping me travel around the state.”

To keep up with Redd, visit the mswheelchairms Facebook and Twitter page, and to contact her for a speaking engagement, email her at mswheelchairmississippi@yahoo.com.