Five boys, five girls selected as finalists for Tom and Becky Program; winners to be named July 4

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum announced Friday the names of the five boys and five girls selected as finalists for this year’s Tom and Becky Program.

Becky finalists are:

• Ella Graupman, daughter of Travis and Emilee Graupman
• Malaina McIntyre daughter of Stewart and Amy McIntyre
• Ayrabella Porter, daughter of Jessica Mundell
• Ava Warfield, daughter of Eric Warfield and Lindsey Steinman
• Annie Webb, daughter of Derek and Katie Webb

Tom finalists are:

• Cayden Jacobsen, son of Dion and Amy Jacobsen
• Thatcher Johnson, son of Neil and Amelia Johnson
• Preston Miller, son of Michael and Sarah Miller
• Brycen Puterbaugh, son of Bruce and Jennifer Puterbaugh
• Jaekyn Thomure, son of Bradley and Alisha Thomure

These boys and girls will represent the city of Hannibal as goodwill ambassadors. Their year as Tom and Becky will officially begin with the announcement of this year’s official couple at noon on July 4 in Central Park during National Tom Sawyer Days. 

All 10 finalists will prepare for the remaining two stages of the judging process, which will include a two-day “orientation” with a panel of three judges familiar with the program in late June and final judging on July 3 with a panel of three out-of-town judges.   

Tom and Becky semifinalists completed a written exam about the history of Hannibal, Mark Twain and his writings on April 24 at Hannibal Middle School. All candidates were scored in personal interviews on April 25 at Hannibal-LaGrange University by two panels of five judges. Judges for the interviews were people familiar with the Tom and Becky Program, Samuel Clemens and his writings, Hannibal or local tourism, or they were parents of past Tom or Becky ambassadors or had represented Hannibal as a Tom or Becky. 

Family, friends and supporters of the program are invited to attend the annual Tom and Becky Dinner Cruise aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat on June 19.  Tickets will be available by contacting any of the finalists or through the Tom and Becky Program by reaching out to Melissa Cummins at tomandbecky@marktwainmuseum.org or at the Mark Twain Museum, 573-221-9010.