Her first pageant title was probably “Baby Miss Cinderella,” and she laughs remembering it.

“I was about two-years-old, I think,” said Alison Griffitt, the brand new Talladega County Junior Miss for 2011.

Griffitt was named Junior Miss during the event held Friday night at Talladega’s Ritz Theatre. Nine young women who will be seniors in high school next year took part in the program

That’s the part of the Junior Miss Program Griffitt said she enjoyed best, meeting the others in the program and spending time with them during the week of preparation.

“It was definitely meeting the other girls and working with them,” she said. “Now, I have all these new friends. It was a great bonding experience. We had a blast the entire week.”

That’s a big part of the program, said Jeanne Rasco of Talladega, who has been the volunteer director for the Junior Miss Program for the past eight years.

“The Junior Miss Program is all about providing a positive growth experience for young women,” she said. “And that’s what we want.”

Junior Miss participants are scored on scholastics, 20 percent; judges’ interview, 25 percent; talent, 25 percent; fitness, 15 percent; and self-expression, 15 percent.

Judges evaluate the participants’ grace, poise, demeanor, carriage and posture along with their speaking ability.

The Junior Miss judging process is designed to encourage the participants’ development of these skills in their lives.

Griffitt entered the Junior Miss Program as the holder of a number of prior pageant titles, among them Miss Sylacauga Outstanding Teen for 2008, the Miss Talladega County Outstanding Teen for 2009 and in 2010, she won the title of Miss Smith’s Station. Following the Miss Smith Station Pageant, she became third runner up for the state title.

But the Junior Miss Program event was the first during which she earned scholarship funding for college, she said.

Her scholarship funding from the Junior Miss Program includes $750 for the title win, $250 for the talent win and another $250 for the Fitness Award win in the program.

Griffitt will be a senior at Sylacauga High school in the fall, where she is a member of the Key Club, the Diamond Dolls, Future Business Leaders of America and the FOCUS program, among other school activities.

Right now, her plans following graduation are to attend either Birmingham Southern, Samford University or the University of Alabama and eventually attend medical school and specialize in cosmetic reconstructive surgery.

“I think it would be wonderful to be able to help people that way,” she said.

“So many people are hurt in accidents. Offering them a way to feel better and to improve their quality of life would be fulfilling.”

For now, Griffitt works summers in the office of her parents’ business, Radney-Smith Funeral Home in Sylacauga.

Watching her parents, Gary and Judy Smith, in the business of helping people through tough times has probably touched her in her career interests, she said.

“I see people come in and they are just at their wit’s end,” Griffitt said. “I’ve seen how my parents help them cope with loss. I think it would be great to be able to help people, too.”

Griffitt said she will spend the time between now and the state Junior Miss Program in January getting ready, there are lots of things to work on, she said.

“I will definitely be working on the fitness part, that’s a big part of the state event,” she said. “I’ll also be studying current events every day to prepare for the interviews and I’ll do some mock interviews to prepare, too,” she said.

This year’s program was another outstanding event, Rasco said.

“Each year, I am always amazed at how composed, talented and gifted our participants are,” she said. “I wasn’t aware of the program when I was growing up so I never participated. But when I learned about this great scholarship program and was asked to help, I was delighted-I love devoting my energies to quality programs that help enrich our community.”

Additional awards made in the Junior Miss Program include the Scholastics Award, made to Diana Thomson, a $250 scholarship; First runner up to Allison Montgomery, $500 scholarship and also winner of the Be Your Best Self Essay Award of $250 and the Self Expression Award, a $250 scholarship; and to Allie Laura Haynes, winner of the Spirit of Junior Miss Award, a $250 scholarship.

“Each of the girls who participated did such a fantastic job during the week of preparation,” Rasco said. “And during the show on Friday night.”

Choreographer for the show, “Pajama Party,” was Jeana Sumners.

Griffitt said she goes into each event she takes part in with the same things in mind.

“I go in with an open mind and just do my very best,” she said. “God has a plan, and I’m always happy with the way it all turns out.”