Ann-Blair Thornton, Miss Kentucky 2011 and a WKU student, was welcomed back to town on Wednesday with a homecoming ceremony sponsored by the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

In attendance were President Gary Ransdell, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and a number of other local dignitaries.

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Thornton, a senior double majoring in English and economics, is living in Lexington for the next year and will serve as the spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky Proud program, which encourages consumers to purchase products produced in Kentucky.

The Bowling Green native will represent Kentucky in the Miss America Pageant on Jan. 14 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Thornton plans to complete her undergraduate degree when her Miss Kentucky duties wrap up.