Best of Luck to the Miss Ohio Sweeps Program!

Tomorrow 16 women will compete for six Sweeps crowns at Willard High School. Like last year, the titles will be Miss Willard, Miss Huron County, Miss Buckeye State, Miss Heart Of Ohio, Miss Mohican Valley and Miss Ohio River. Per Miss America rules only three crowns can be given at a time, so two separate pageants will take place in one day. The first pageant begins at 4 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m.; tickets are $10 or $15 for both shows.

Contestants will give two interviews for two separate panels of judges. The first panel is Kasi Collins, Fremont; Charlie Vallance, Columbus; John Aiello, Norwalk; Angela Thomas, Tiffin; Blythe Gresser, Columbus; and Bonnie Gregory, New London. The second judging panel is Tom Dunlap, Liz Truxell and Tina Beier, Norwalk; Brian McIntyre, Cleveland; Alex Thompson, Sandusky and Jeana Jones, Akron. The Judges Chair will be Nanci Keinath, with Jan Moll and Dolly Ruffing auditing.

Last year two Sweeps winners made the Top 10 at Miss Ohio, Tera Coleman and Whitney Fricke. Whitney did not compete again this year; Tera competed in one local but is not trying for another Sweeps title. 2010 Sweeps winners Devon Stansbury and Stephanie Betlz were Non-Semifinalist at Miss Ohio, but were among the highest scholarship recipients. Devon is the only of last years six to already be headed back to Miss Ohio (as Miss Lake Festival). Stephanie competed twice, recently placing at Muskingum Valley, thus her absense from the contestant list is extremely surprising. Finally, Rebeka Zoz did not competed again this season, making Liz Wong the only 2010 Sweeps winner to be competing there again this year.

Miss Ohio, Becky Minger, and Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen, Cecili Weber, will emcee and entertain at both pageants. Six of the following contestants will be rewarded with a trip to Miss Ohio and $500 scholarship!

Ashley Bowman

Age: 21

Education: Kent State University

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Get Up! Get Out! Get Going!”

Pageant Past: competed – Clayland; competed - CO; 2nd RU - MC

Jenna Fowls

Age: 21

Education: Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Dating Violence”

Pageant Past: 1st RU, I, Prelim T, SS & EG - Musk. V

Nina Haaskivi

Age: 21

Education: Bowling Green State University

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Real Women, Real Beauty.”

Pageant Past: 3rd RU - MC; 3rd RU - Musk. V

Alicia Huyghe

Age: 23

Education: Cleveland State University

Talent: tap dance

Platform: “CUE: Children Understanding the Environment”

Pageant Past: competed - Musk. V

Heather Isbell

Age: 20

Education: New York Institute of Photography

Talent: vocal

Platform:“Never Give Up!: Encouraging Youth To Pursue Their Dreams”

Pageant Past: competed - Vacationland; National American Miss and community queen festival experience

Ashliegh Jarzenski

Age: 19

Education: Ashland University

Talent: dance

Platform: “REACH: The Benefits Of Volunteering”

Pageant Past: competed – GC/CC; competed – NC; competed - M/NCO

Maria Minnick

Age: 21

Education: Owens Community College

Talent: dance

Platform: “Celebrate Diversity”

Pageant Past: SS – GC/CC; competed - MV/AAC/FT; 2nd RU - Vacationland; competed - MC

Jessica Nelson was slated to competed, but accepted the title Miss Cuyahoga County the night before.

Erin O'Brien

Age: 18

Education: DePauw University

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Women's Heart Health”

Pageant Past: competed - MV; competed - CO

Alyssa Phillips

Age: 19

Education: Bowling Green State University

Talent: dance

Platform: “Don't Suffer For Love”

Pageant Past: competed – MV/AAC/FT; 1st RU - NWO; Congeniality - M/NCO; 1st RU Vacationland; 1st RU - MC; 2nd RU & Spirit - Musk. V

Rebecca Ribley

Age: 19

Education: Ashland University

Talent: vocal

Platform:“Raising Awareness of Hunger in America”

Pageant Past: 3rd RU – GC/CC; competed - NC; competed - M/NCO; semifinalist - Musk. V

Priya Sharma

Age: 22

Education: Cleveland State University

Talent: dance

Platform: “Creating Positive Attitudes 101: Promoting Healthy and Positive Attitudes For Our Children”

Pageant Past: 3rd RU – NC; competed - M/NCO

Allison Vance

Age: 19

Education: Ashland County West Holmes Career Center

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Suicide Prevention Awareness”

Pageant Past: competed at Maple City

Alyssa Waldman

Education: Otterbein College

Talent: vocal

Platform:“It's Abuse: A Relationship Abuse Awareness Campaign”

Pageant Platform: competed - WCO/LSF/CL; T – MV; 2nd RU & T tie – Clayland; competed – MV/AAC/FT; Non-Semifinalist Talent award at Miss Ohio 2010 as Miss Northwestern Ohio

Shayle Welch

Age: 20

Education: Bowling Green State University

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Supporting And Promoting Diabetes Research.”

Pageant Past: competed – MV/AAC/FT; competed - MC

Veronica Wende

Age: 19

Education: Hillside College

Talent: vocal

Platform: "’Shine On’ Through Tissue and Organ Donation”

Pageant Past: competed at Miami Valley; Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2009

Elizabeth Wong

Age: 20

Education: Oberlin College

Talent: dance

Platform: “Cardiac Awareness”

Pageant Past: competed – NC; 3rd RU - NWO; competed - M/NCO; competed - MC; Semifinaist - Musk. V; Miss Huron County 2010

Although this information was published in today's Norwalk Reflector, it was a bit hard to come by; I greatly appreciate the source who acquired it for me!

Surprising omissions to this list are Anna Reis, Stephanie Betlz, Christina Muha, Jena Sweigart, Abby Daniel and Tera Coleman. Hopefully the found the 2010/2011 season valuable and return next year!