Def Chefs and the Little Miss

Published 9:39 am Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Members of the Kentucky School for the Deaf’s award winning “Def Chefs” culinary team and Little Miss Kentucky United States 2018 Aleah Stigall jointly led Danville City Commission in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during Monday’s commission meeting.

Danville Mayor Mike Perros, right, lends his lapel mic to Little Miss Kentucky United States 2018 Aleah Stigall, who told those gathered she was excited to compete for the national Little Miss United States title in Orlando in June.

Stigall, a student at Woodlawn Elementary School, won the title of Little Miss Kentucky United States 2018 in Bowling Green on Feb. 25, representing Danville-Boyle County, according to a proclamation approved by the commission. She will compete in the Little Miss United States pageant in Orlando in June, “in the categories of private interview, sportswear, evening gown and onstage questions,” according to the proclamation. And she “will represent the City of Danville and Boyle County throughout the state at different events during 2018-2019, and is a role model for the youth of Danville-Boyle County,” the proclamation states.

The KSD Def Chefs team — Layne Adkins, Aeiral Collins, Sulmi Gomez, Sarah Joiner, Benny Shirley and Zhirtien Warmack — placed second in the Deaf Culinary Bowl in California earlier this month. They are taught by Mandy Byrne.

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The Def Chefs said they plan to return to the competition next year, and have their sights set on first place this time. They distributed baked goods to city commission members, including cookies decorated to look like city hall.

The city commission also voted Monday to name April “Child Abuse Awareness Prevention Month” and “Autism Awareness Month.”