Rebecca Burk Ellis / L’Observateur / July 17, 1998

DESTREHAN – Courtney Ann Tatman has only been in two pageants in her life and she has won them both.

She was pleasantly surprised when she won the Miss Louisiana Teen Pageant. It was only her second pageant and the 16-year-old of Destrehanwon out of 103 other contestants.

The first pageant she was in was the Comet Queen Pageant at St. CharlesCatholic High School, where she is a junior. She won that one too and wasnamed Comet Queen in November last year.

Tatman said after being in the Comet Queen Pageant that she liked the pageant scene so much that she decided to enter the Miss Louisiana Teen Pageant. “I didn’t enter the pageant thinking I was going to win, but I’mreally happy about it,” she said. “I just wanted to have fun because Ireally enjoy it.”During the pageant Tatman said judges narrowed the 103 contestants down to 25 and then 12 and then to the top five contestants. Of course shewas more than little anxious at that point. “I was nervous,” she said. “Iwasn’t expecting it. It was a big surprise.”Now she’s headed to the national Miss American Teen Pageant at the Hilton in Walt Disney World, which will be held during the week of Thanksgiving this year. She’s only been to Disney World once and that wasn’t longenough, she said. “We were planning on going back soon anyway, but ourvacation got planned a little early,” she said, laughing.

She will compete in competitions including talent, speech, modeling, acting, academic achievement, volunteer service and photogenic at the 15th annual national Miss American Teen Pageant.

Tatman’s parents Larry and Ann Tatman of Destrehan are also excited, she said. “I think they are more surprised than I am,” Tatman said.Tatman’s grandparents are Harold and Theresa Bruno of Metairie and Wilson Tatman of Baton Rouge and Ethel Tatman of Metairie.

At St. Charles High School she is a cheerleader, track team member, BetaClub member and Fellowship of Christian Athletes member. She is alsoinvolved in the Catholic Youth Organization at St. Charles BorromeoChurch.

Besides all of these things and pageants to keep her busy she works for the St. Charles Recreational Department’s concession stand duringbaseball games.

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