LEWISTON – Asheley Dawn Knowlton, daughter of Diane Knowlton of Lewiston, is representing the Lewiston/Auburn area in the Miss Maine Pageant 2004 on Saturday, May 29, at the Biddeford Theatre in Biddeford.

Knowlton took part in preliminary judging of talent and interviews on Aug. 4, 2003, to become a contestant. The pageant is divided into five phases, including interview, talent, swimsuit, evening gown and overall composite. Contestants are scored individually from one to 10 in each category. The winner will compete in the Miss America pageant.

Each contestant is required to pick a platform in which they contribute in a positive way to state and community. Knowlton chose to work with the Maine obesity problem and titled her work “Healthy Me, Healthy You.” She is on the board of Healthy Androscoggin and has taken part in research on nutrition and exercise and lectured to students. She is a member of the YWCA in Auburn.

For her talent she will recite an original poem, “My Freedom Ring.” Knowlton wrote her first poem at the age of 5 and has recently published two. She graduated from the University of Maine at Augusta on May 8 with an associate degree in liberal arts. She continues in college full-time, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Knowlton works part-time for Per Se in Lewiston. She was a Lewiston/Auburn Shining Star in 2001 and earned a variety of awards in culinary arts and ROTC at Lewiston High School, graduating in 2001.