Ville Platte’s Blood named 2016 Miss Smoked Meat

Zoe Anne Courville, Alison Renee Blood and Jacqueline Shiloh-Gradnigo all took home queen titles in the Smoked Meat Festival Pageants on Sunday.
Blood, the 20-year-old daughter of Marsha and Jimbo Blood of Ville Platte, was named Miss Smoked Meat.
She is a junior at Louisiana State University at Alexandria, and she is pursuing a degree in radiology technology. Her hobbies include reading, studying and spending time with family and friends, and she loves caring for babies and children.
Blood is a volunteer at Village de Memoire in Ville Platte. She has received a TOPS Honors award and an LSUE Award, and she earned a 24 on her ACT. In 2000, she was Wee Miss Smoked Meat.
In the future, she would like to complete her degree and one day have a family.
Courville, the 16-year-old daughter of Barry and Evelyn Courville of Port Barre, was named Teen Miss Smoked Meat.
She is a junior at Port Barre High School. Her hobbies include cheerleading, gymnastics, dancing, camping and spending time with family and friends. She is a member of Senior Beta, National Honors Society and cheerleading. Courville volunteers to help the junior high cheer squad.
Her honors are being a member of Junior Beta and the National Honor Society. Courville also received an award for her 3.85 GPA.
Her future plans are to complete high school and attend college to become an ultrasound technician.
Shiloh-Gradnigo, 47, is the wife of Rev. Kirk A. Gradnigo of Opelousas, is Ms. Smoked Meat.
She is a speech language pathologist, and she owns a speech consulting business.
Gradnigo received her bachelor’s degree in communications disorders from Southern University. She also received her master’s degree in special education from the university.
Gradnigo’s hobbies include singing, poetry writing, crocheting, napping and working with youth in the community. Gradnigo is a member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association, Speech Pathologist and Audiologist Louisiana Schools, the Louisiana Speech Language Hearing Association and the St. Landry Ministerial Alliance.
Gradnigo is involved with the St. John the Baptist Church Youth Department and Adult Choir. She is also a Vacation Bible School and Sunday School teacher.
Gradnigo’s honors are being named to Who’s Who Among Professional Woman and being named Youth Director of the Year. She is also a SPALS Grant recipient.
Gradnigo’s future plans are to obtain her Ph.D. in communication disorders or to attend law school. She also plans to write a grant that will allow her to assist young women with job training skills.
Gradnigo is a veteran of the U.S. Army. She said she loves working with organizations in her community that assist veterans. She also enjoys working with families with special needs children, and she also takes pleasure in working in all aspects of pageantry..