Courville takes lessons learned as queen into future endeavors

By: TONY MARKS
Associate Editor

As the 17-year-old Port Barre High School senior Zoe Anne Courville prepares for future endeavors as an LSU-E student in ultrasound technology, she will take lessons learned, experiences, and memories with her during her reign as Teen Miss Queen of the Louisiana Smoked
Meat Festival.
“I’ve learned that true friendships can be made from total strangers,” she said. “I’ve met many queens at a single event who I now stay in touch with quite often. Teen Miss Smoked Meat has given me the amazing experience of being able to travel the beautiful state of Louisiana where I was able to meet new people and make many new friends.”
“I was able to attend Very Special Miss Louisiana which was held in Hammond, La,” she continued. This pageant is for special needs children only. I was honored to be able to walk the stage with Anniston Bazar, who has a terminal illness known as Krabbe Disease. This was such a heart warming experience; one that I will never forget. As a queen or just a spectator, I will be back every year to support such an amazing cause.
Courville, the daughter of the late Barry Courville and Evelyn Courville, has other pageant titles under her belt, but she holds Teen Miss Queen closest to her heart. “This title was unique compared to others I have held because we were able to honor veterans,” she said.
Also during her reign, she had several opportunities of representing the Smoked Meat Capital of the World. “Some of the festivals I attended were the Duck Festival and Cracklin Festival,” she said. “I also attended Queen of Queens in Baton Rouge, La. A fun experience I can recall with laughter is the Pie Festival pageant. We were asked to decorate a hair brush that represented our Festival, but little did we know, we would have to sing a song and use the brush as our microphone!”
When she is not involved in the pageant circuit, she enjoys cheerleading, dancing, and spending time with family and friends. She is also a member of such clubs as Sr. Beta and National Honor Society.
The well-rounded student also spoke about what it takes to be a festival queen. “I think that you have to be knowledgeable of the town and Festival that you will represent for one year. You also have to be willing to give up your weekends to travel to other festivals and pageants to promote your festival.”
She also gave some advice to her successor along with a word of thanks. “Travel as often as possible because a year seems like a long time, but in the blink of an eye your reign is over,” she said. “Make many new friends and always stay positive!”
“I would like to thank my family, directors and sister queens for making this year an extremely memorable one.”