Best of Luck to the Miss West Central Ohio & Crystal Lake Program!

This Friday, August 5th, a favorite and former Miss America, Katie Stam Irk, will host the Miss West Central Ohio and Crystal Lake Pageant!  The pre-show starts at 7:15 p.m. in downtown Lima, at the Civic Center, with the pageant beginning at 8 p.m. Local Teen and Miss titleholders are invited to wear their crowns and sashes and will be introduced onstage during the pre-show; if you would like to participate, email  funnyles@aol.com.

It's not too difficult to argue that the Miss West Central Ohio Scholarship Program was one of, if not the, most successful local at Miss Ohio this year!  Miss Crystal Lake's Outstanding Teen, Kelsey Barrett captured the Teen crown and will compete in Orlando this August to become Miss America's Outstanding Teen.  Miss West Central Ohio's Outstanding Teen, Hannah Tumbusch, also did a wonderful job.   

All three Miss titleholders walked away from Miss Ohio with their arms full of awards! Shannon O'Neill, Miss Crystal Lake, was 4th Runner-up and won Preliminary Talent (singing "Blue Skies"), Marvin Hamlisch Grand Talent, Miss America Community Service, CMNH Miricle Maker and  M. O'Guinn Memorial Awards.  With all due respect to the entire Top 5, Shannon's placement seemed low and surprise murmured through the Renaissance Theatre. 

Miss West Central Ohio, Cayla Hellwarth, also won a Preliminary Talent award.  She didn't make the Top 10, but may have actually earned more money than some semi-finalists with a Non-Semifinalist Talent award and two Classical Talent Awards!  Cayla sang "Gira Con Me," popularized by Josh Groban. 

Rounding out the talented bunch, Miss Lima Square Fair, Elissa McCracken won the other Non-Semifinalist Talent award (playing "Cumina"), as well as Community Service and Americanism essay awards and the Paul Herlihy Newcomer Spirit award!  She has opted not to participate in the pageant as an outgiong titleholder; rather she is one of eight contestants.  Usually when this is the case, the competing outgoing titleholder is eligible for one of the other titles given in the multi-crown pageant (you may not hold the same title back-to-back); unfortunately the pageant did not get enough entrants to give three crowns this year, so it's not an issue.  No one will be crowned Miss Lima Square Fair.

Crowns will be awarded to two of the following eight contestants:  

Mindy Fetzer
Education: University of Akron
Talent: dance
Platform: 
Pageant Past: has competed in this pageant the past couple years; Jr. Miss experience  

Tanya Korte
Education:
Talent:
Platform:
Pageant Past:  none found

Devon Stansbury
Education: University of Cincinnati / Psychology & PR
Talent: dance
Platform: "Angels for Animals," Be their W.I.N.G.S.
Pageant Past: competed at Miss Ohio as Miss Lake Festival and Miss Mohican Valley

Nicole Baringer
Education: Ball State University / Spanish & Theater
Talent: vocal
Platform: Girls, Inc.
Pageant Past: n/a

Kirsten Fennig
Education: Celina High School, 2011 grad; Ohio State University / Human Resources & Psychology
Talent: piano
Platform: American Red Cross
Pageant Past:  recently 2nd RU at Miss Lake Festival; competed in a few Miss locals last year, and Teen locals previously

Elissa McCracken
Education: Ohio Northern University / Pharmacy
Talent: piano
Platform: Internet Safety
Pageant Past: earned Non-semifinalist Talent, Community Service & P.H. Spirit Awards at Miss Ohio 2011 at Miss Lima Square Fair; Non-semifinalist Interview award at Miss Pennsylvania 2009 as Miss Greater Johnston; competed at Miss Pennsylvania's Outstanding Teen 2008

Alana Richardson
Education: Harden Northern High, 2011 grad; American Public University System / Early Childhood Education
Talent: 
Platform:
Pageant Past: none found

Samantha Hartings
Education: Ohio Northern University / Pharmacy
Talent: dance
Platform: Books for PLAY: Promoting Literacy...
Pageant Past: competed at this pageant last year; teen experience