LAS VEGAS – A pair of Northeast Mississippi guys will get their time in the spotlight during today’s “Miss America Pageant.”

Women representing 53 U.S. states and territories will compete for the crown. Josh Randle from Amory and Brent Adams from Holly Springs will be around to offer their arms when needed.

“This is my third Miss America, so it’s amazing to see how different the girls are from year to year,” said Randle, 24.

Adams, 23, will be participating for the first time.

“I’ve been excited about this for the past six or seven months,” he said.

Amory native and Oxford resident Sam Haskell serves as chairman of the board for the Miss America Organization, and he arranged for Adams and Randle to take part in the broadcast.

Adams is Haskell’s assistant, so he’s been in the thick of planning for the event.

“Sam is the kind of guy who likes to please everybody,” Adams said. “I have to pull him away to make sure he gets where he needs to be.”

Randle is national executive director of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Thirty of the 53 pageant contestants participated this year.

The program is open to ages 14 to 25, and it encourages young people to serve their communities and push through boundaries.

In addition to their other duties, Randle and Adams will don tuxedos and escort the 10 finalists on live television.

“It’s a tough job,” Randle said, “but somebody’s got to do it.”

The competition at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas will be broadcast at 8 p.m. today on ABC stations, including Tupelo cable channel 7. It’ll be preceded by a one-hour “Good Morning America” special that documents events leading up to the pageant.

scott.morris@journalinc.com