A Grove City hair salon is surely betting on Miss West Virginia to win the title of Miss America tonight.

Grove City College student Kayla Lynam is representing the Mountain State and with her in Las Vegas to help her win the competition are some friends from VitaStile Hair Designs.

“It’s such an honor that she picked us to do her hair,” said Cheri Black, manager at VitaStile. “We are going to do great work for her, and it’s very exciting.”

“Las Vegas is definitely different from Grove City,” Ms. Black laughed. “There are going to be so many big-name stylists here, and it’s so great to be a part of it. I also can’t wait to watch the pageant from backstage.”

Ms. Black and fellow stylist Jodi Meling have been prepping Miss Lynam for the big night. “We had prelims on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, going through the different rounds, and had a dress rehearsal on Friday,” Ms. Black explained. “We also practiced the different hairstyles we could do in-between events.”

Ms. Black said Lynam came to the salon twice this month to prepare for the competition.

“We practiced some hairstyles and also went over what type of dress she wanted to wear,” Ms. Black said. “We’ve been preparing for this for such a long time now, and I can’t wait to see what happens!”

Lynam, originally from Short Gap, W.Va., has been a client for three years, beginning in her freshman year, according to Ms. Black.

She said the pair have become good friends.

“We know each other very well,” Ms. Black said. “We were both so excited that she won (the state title) on her first try. I always knew that she had potential though.”

According to Ms. Black, once Lynam discovered that contestants could take their own hairstylists to the pageant, the newly crowned Miss West Virginia contacted her to ask her to style her hair for the competition.

“I automatically said yes,” Ms. Black said. “It’s been hard work, but it’s so exciting. We worked so hard, helping her plan her dress and appropriate hairstyles. It was tough, but it’s going to be all worth it.”

Gay Coast-Frampton, owner of VitaStile Hair Designs, said that while she is excited, the business has suffered with two of her best stylists gone for a week.

“The salon was shut down, so we are not making any money, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said with laugh. “To go from a small town environment to the Miss America Pageant in Last Vegas is so exciting.”

Miss Lynam, who completed her junior year last May as an entrepreneurship major, is also an exercise science and kickboxing instructor. She won the West Virginia state title in June and has taken the year off from college although she plans to return in the fall.