Best of Luck to the Miss Maumee Valley / All*American City / Fallen Timbers Program!

At 7 p.m. tonight in the beautiful Maumee High School Performing Arts Center six new titleholders will be crowned! Two of the three lovely outgoing Miss titleholders on the left will crown successors.

Outgoing Miss All*American City, Jessica Barrett (in blue) is a talented Broadway vocalist who has already captured her third title - Miss Greater Cleveland. Miss Fallen Timbers, Emily Cousino (in black) lives her pageant platform - Heart Health and won a prestigious Rosalie McAtee Interview award at Miss Ohio. Miss Maumee Valley, Becky Minger (in silver) was First Runner-up at Miss Ohio and will compete for the other two titles tonight.

Tonight's pageant will appropriately have an election theme and will no doubt be exciting with 17 Miss contestants and 8 Teens.

In alphabetical order the Miss' are:

Katie Bowen - Katie will be playing the Beatles hit "All My Love" on the flute tonight. For her platform she coaches Special Olympics; Katie is a student at Ohio Northern University where she studies Clinical Laboratory Science. Earlier this season she was First Runner-up at Miss North Coast.

Cassity Brubaker - Cassidy is the only Miss contestant that I know nothing about. You? The photo on the left is from her CMN page.






StarKeisha Coleman - "Star" was recently First Runner-up at Miss Clayland and won Talent and Service awards at Miss West Central Ohio; she was Miss Teen Plus America in 2004. Her platform deals with Teen Depression and she's a vocalist.

Katie Gregory-Taylor - Earlier this season Katie was Third Runner-up and Talent winner at Miss Greater Cleveland/Open City. At that pageant she sang "Listen" from Dreamgirls. I am unsure of her platform, but I believe she attends Cleveland State. (I'm not sure what title she's representing in the photo on the left, which was on her CMN page.)

Brandi Herceg - Just last weekend Brandi gave up the title Miss Ohio Valley and she is now looking for her second crown. Brandi is a dancer who's pageant platform is "Healthy Hearts are Happy Hearts." She studies Computer Science at Franciscan University.

Alicia Huyghe - Alicia studies Biology and Dance Education at Cleveland State University. She is a tap dancer who advocates "Going Green" as her pageant platform. Last season she was Fourth Runner-up at Miss Mansfield; this season she has competed at several locals.

Sarah Johnson - Sarah studies Tourism and Event Planning at Bowling Green State University. Her platform, "Promoting the Unheard Voice" raises awareness of domestic violence. She will perform a dance, using a flag as a prop.

Ashleigh Lemon - Ashleigh was Miss Southeastern Ohio 2007; this pageant doesn't go on to Miss Ohio, but is similar to MAO locals. She also competed at Miss Ohio International. She's a vocalist and alum of Muskingum College where she studied Biology and Conservation Science. Thus, her Miss SEO platform was "Bio-diversity: The Race Against Time."

Becky Minger - Last year at this pageant Becky was crowned Miss Maumee Valley. Instead of playing the role of outgoing titleholder, entertaining, giving a farewell speech and crowning her successor, she will be a contestant. If she's one of the top three ladies, she'd be crowned either Miss All*American City or Miss Fallen Timbers. This is allowed and common in multiple crown pageants. It happened last season when instead of giving up her Miss Lake Erie crown Nanciann Strosnider competed and won the sister title, Miss Northern Ohio.

Anyway... Becky is looking for her fourth local title, having been First Runner-up to Miss Ohio as Miss Greater Dayton and Miss Maumee Valley; she competed as Miss Northwestern Ohio as well. She's a vocalist who studies IPC at Bowling Green State University and promotes Self Esteem in Girls.

Maria Minnick - Last season Maria competed at this pageant and Miss Maple City. She's a freshman at the University of Toledo and a dancer. Having been the Lucas County Fair Queen, her platform is "Getting Youth Involved within the 4-H Community."

Kristy Moneysmith - Kristy is looking for her second local title, having competed at Miss Ohio this summer as Miss Chillicothe, where she won a CMN Award. This season she's competed at Miss Miami Valley. She's a vocalist majoring in Clininal / Criminal Psychology at Wright State University. Her pageant platform is Mentoring Through Leadership.

Jessica Nelson - At the University of Toledo Jessica studies Pre-Veterinary/Biology. Appropriately, her pageant platform is Promoting Pet Health and Safety. She's a vocalist who began competing in locals last season.

Shannon O'Neill - Shannon was recently a Semifinalist at Miss Ohio as Miss West Central Ohio; she also has previous experience in the Jr. Miss program. She studies Communication, Media and Middle Eastern Studies at Fordham in New York. She's a vocalist who advocates "TONE" Our Kids: Teaching Obesity, Nutrition and Exercise.

Ashley Warholic - Ashley is a Public Relations and Marketing major at Baldwin Wallace College. She's a dancer who promotes FCCLA - Family, Career and Community Leaders. So far this season she's been Second Runner-up at Miss North Coast and Miss Greater Cleveland.


Heather Waterman - Heather won the YaYa Sisterhood award at Miss Ohio this summer as Miss Lake Festival. She's Marketing major at Wright State University; she promotes Mentoring and is a vocalist.

Heather Wells - Heather is a dancer majoring in Broadcast Journalism at Kent State University. Her platform is "Hey Kids, Get Fit!" She is looking for her second local title; she competed at Miss Ohio this summer as Miss Maple City and was First Runner-up at Miss Ohio Teen USA a couple years ago.

Megan Wolery - Megan was Third Runner-up to Miss West Central Ohio earlier this year and then competed at Miss North Coast. She is a vocalist; I believe she attends Loyola University in Chicago.

* Note, former Miss Maumee Valley, Kristen Haas, was entered, but won Miss Ohio Valley last weekend.

Teen Contestants, in alphabetical order:


Kelsey Barrett - Kelsey was named Second Runner-up to the state Teen in 2007 as Miss West Central Ohio's Outstanding Teen. She is also the sister of outgoing Miss All*American City, Jessica Barrett.





Allison Brunenmeister - Allison was a Preteen State Ambassador at the National American Miss Pageant in 2005. This year she competed in America's Perfect Teen, Junior Teen division.




Sophie Carter - I have no info on Sophie.

Sarah Eash - Sarah won a Talent and Personality awards at the National American Miss Pageant.

Kristen Fenning - I have no info on Kristen

Emilee Lowe - Emilee was recently First Runner-up to Miss Portsmouth Outstanding Teen; she also competed at the National American Miss Pageant.

Veronica Wende - Veronica won a Volunteer Service award at the National American Miss Pageant in 2008, among other awards.


Emily Werling - Emily won the title Miss All*American City's Outstanding Teen last year; she is forgoing her opportunity to crown a successor, and will instead be eligable for Maumee Valley or Fallen Timber's Teen.

I'm really not trying to promote the National American Miss pageant, but it just kept coming up over and over as I Google the contestants!

Confirmed Judges*:

Jeana Jones Singleton, lawyer - Top Ten Miss Ohio finalist as Miss Maumee Valley 2004, the very first Miss MV!

Jacqueline Rafko - Mother of Miss America, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson

Jennifer Dalton, MD - a former contestant in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana

Christine Coleman - High School Assistant Principal

Doug King, Chemist - Miss America Certified Judge and former director of the Miss Bay County Program

Patricia Galvin - Teacher, Mother, Grandmother and member of the Pride of Toledo Sweet Adelines, an adult tap dancing crew that has performed at this pageant and Miss Ohio.

*There may be one more judge.

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Please pardon any typos, it's early in the a.m. for me and this was a very involved blog post! If any talent, platform or school info needs corrected, leave comments or email me. Huge thanks to E.D. Eric Wagener for providing me with his contestant and judges list!

Best of luck to all!