By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

Helena High School junior and Miss Shelby County Outstanding Teen 2015 Tiara Pennington recently won the Miss Metropolitan 2016 title.

She will compete again in the Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen 2016 competition, where she was first runner up last year.

Her platform is “Never Give Up, Psoriasis Take Action.”

Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune and genetic disease, which triggers skin cell growth causing lesions to form on the skin.

These lesions can cause non-stop itching, pain and scars.

Psoriatic Arthritis is a chronic joint disorder linked to psoriasis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling to joints.

Pennington is committed to raise awareness and fund for these diseases, from which both her mother and uncle suffer.

To raise funds and awareness, Pennington and the Miss Metropolitan Scholarship Pageant are hosting the Queenly Halloween Etiquette Luncheon and Fashion Show on Saturday, Oct. 31 at the North Shelby Library, starting at 11 a.m.

Tickets are $50 benefitting the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Young girls, ages 7-12 years old, are invited to this special day of fun, lunch and fashions.

Special guest is Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen 2015 Kaitlynn Campbell who was recently featured in Seventeen magazine.

Miss Metropolitan 2016 Megan Smith will emcee. Smith is the captain of the University of Alabama Million Dollar Band’s Crimsonettes.

Enjoy Halloween fashions modeled by MAOT titleholders, photos with Campbell, learn etiquette tips and make crafts.

Come dressed in your favorite Halloween costume and walk the catwalk for “Best Costume.”

Susan Downs is the director of the Miss Metropolitan Scholarship Organization, a preliminary pageant for the Miss Alabama and Miss America Organization.

Downs is the mother of former Miss Alabama and Miss American Deidra Downs.

For information see Missmetropolitanalabama.com.

Pennington is the daughter of Dedra and Don Pennington of Helena. The talented vocalist is a member of the National Honor Society and a Youth Community Ambassador for the National Psoriasis Foundation, the youngest ambassador in the nation. She has sung at Youth Day, sponsored by the Shelby County Historical Society and Youth Leadership Shelby County, Flag Day sponsored by the Cahaba Elks Club, and was first alternate at the Miss Helena High School pageant in May 2015.

To register for the luncheon see Queenly Halloween Etiquette Luncheon and Fashion Show Facebook page or email Pennington at justdedra@aol.com or 746-7181.