Best of Luck to the Miss Miami Valley / Montgomery County Pageant TONIGHT!

Ronda Morris was one of my absolute favorite local executive directors and this year she and her fantastic team will be sharing their skills and love with not just a Miss Miami Valley but also a Miss Montgomery County! The pageant takes place tonight at the Montgomery County Fair, meaning admission is cheaper and elephant ears are available! Best. Pageant. EVER!

The outgoing Miss Miami Valley, Alissa Brumbaugh, took Miss Ohio by storm this summer! Many proclaimed her a breath of fresh air and she was certainly the fresh face of the pageant. Alissa has past pageant experience in other programs, but it was still impressive that she earned a Preliminary Swimsuit award and went straight to First Runner-up at her first try for the Miss Ohio crown! Tonight she has opted to compete instead of play the role of outgoing titleholder; if she is one of the top two scores after the final ballot, she will be crowned Miss Montgomery County. Best of luck to all the contestants; they are (in no particular order):

Mahogany Fleming

Courtney Monk

Allison Vance

Danielle Hather

Abby Daniel

Cayla Hellwarth

Emily Werling

Chelsi Howman

Heather Wells

Lauren Baker

Alissa Brumbaugh
Marie Hassan

RESULTS: Miss North Coast

Miss North Coast ($500): Jessica Nelson

 1st RU ($200): Priya Sharma

 2nd RU ($125): Chrissy Porter

 3rd RU ($100): Alicia Huyghe

 4th RU ($75): Mahogany Fleming

Swimsuit ($50): Mahogany Fleming

Non-finalist Talent ($100): Kayla Bayless 

Each non-finalist receives $50.

RESULTS: Miss West Central Ohio & Crystal Lake

Miss West Central Ohio 

Elissa McCracken 

Miss Crystal Lake 

Devon Stansbury

1st RU: Kirsten Fennig

2nd Runner-up: Samantha Hartings

3rd Runner-up: Mindy Fetzer 

Talent: Elissa McCracken

Interview: Kirsten Fennig

Swimsuit: Samantha Hartings

People's Choice: Mindy Fetzer

Best of Luck the the Miss North Coast Program!

Last year former teen competitor, Chelsi Howman, bested two women who had previously competed at Miss Ohio to win her first title, Miss North Coast! Having just graduated high school, I believe she was the youngest contestant in Mansfield this summer; now she is headed to the University of Mount Union for Middle Childhood Education. She earned an award for her Americanism essay at Miss Ohio and shocked me with her entertaining and charming her banjo performance! 

Brunswick High School will host the 7 p.m. pageant this Saturday, August 6th. Twelve women are vying for Chelsi's Miss North Coast crown; will it go to one of three women who have been to Miss Ohio or will history repeat itself? Kayla Bayless looks like she may be a promising new contestant, but only time will tell...!  

Chrissy Porter
Education: St. Marys of Notre Dame / Broadcast Journalism
Talent:
Platform:
Pageant Past:

Allison Vance 
Education: Ohio State University / Music
Talent: vocal
Platform: Suicide Prevention Awareness
Pageant Past: recently competed at GC/CC and a couple time last season

Ashliegh Jarzenski
Education: Ashland University / Digital Media & Journalism
Talent: dance
Platform: Habitat for Humanity
Pageant Past: recently competed at GC/CC and a few times last year, including this pageant

Loren Baker
Education: University of Toledo
Talent: vocal
Platform: Arts in Schools
Pageant Past: n/a

Alicia Huyghe
Education: Cleveland State University / Dance & Exercise Science
Talent: tap dance
Platform: “CUE: Children Understanding the Environment”
Pageant Past: competed at Miss Ohio 2011 as Miss Heart of Ohio

Mahogany Fleming
Education: University of Toledo / Pharmaceutical Sciences ?
Talent: vocal ?
Platform:
Pageant Past:  none found

Jessica Nelson
Education: University of Toledo / Pre-Veterinary & Biology
Talent: dance
Platform: P.E.T.S. Promoting Education, Training & Safety
Pageant Past: competed at Miss Ohio 2011 as Miss Cuyahoga County

Heather Renee Isbell
Education: New York Institute of Photography
Talent: vocal
Platform:  'Love Doesn't Hurt': Ending Relationship Abuse
Pageant Past: competed in a couple pageants last season; National American Miss and community queen festival experience

Priya Sharma
Education: Ohio State University, graduate; Cleveland State University, Masters / Occupational Therapy
Talent: Bollywood dance
Platform: Promoting Cancer Research & Awareness
Pageant Past: competed at Miss Ohio 2011 as Miss Huron County

Haley Sims
Education: 2011 North Royalton High grad; University of Cincinnati / Nutrition
Talent: vocal
Platform:  Healthy Habits & Personal Fitness
Pageant Past: competed at Miss GC/CC; Miss North Royalton 2010 (non-MAO)

Amber Galloway
Education: 2011 Brunswich High grad;  University of Akron
Talent: vocal
Platform: Preventing Child Abuse ?
Pageant Past: competed at Maple City last year and community teen pageants

Kayla Bayless
Education: University of Akron / Political Science & Pre-Law
Talent: baton
Platform: Anti-Bullying Awareness
Pageant Past: twirling pageant participant

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 

RESULTS: Miss Lake Festival!

Miss Lake Festival 2011 - $3,800 

Jena Sweigart 

1st Runner Up - $1,700 

Emily Werling 

2nd Runner Up - $1,400 

Kirsten Fennig

3rd Runner Up - $1,000

Kelsea Eblen

***

Talent - $600

Jena Sweigart

Private Interview - $600 

Jena Sweigart

Onstage Interview - $300

Kirsten Fennig

Peoples Choice - $200

Ashlyn Jutte 

Commitment to Excellence - $700
Lillian Roessner 

Barbara Wagner Memorial - $200
Ashlyn Jutte

Non-finalist - $500 (each)
Allison Dilbon
Ashlyn Jutte
Lillian Roessner 

An impressive total of $12,000 in scholarships, with $4,000 in-kind, was awarded!

CLICK HERE to read Devon's farewell letter.

Best of Luck to the Miss Lake Festival Program!

Tomorrow night the Celina Field House will be packed, as twelve thousand dollars in scholarships and one glittering crowned are given out!  Miss Lake Festival is a preliminary pageant closed to women of Mercer County; it is held on a Monday so the winner and her court can prepare to reign over this weekends festival.    Both Miss Ohio, Ellen Bryan (a former Miss Lake Festival) and nearby resident Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen, Kelsey Barrett will be on hand!  

The outgoing Miss Lake Festival is the sensational Devon Stansbury!  She first competed at Miss Ohio in 2010 with a Sweeps title, Miss Mohican Valley, before earning her home county crown.  Devon has danced all her life and studies at the University of Cincinnati; learn more at her new BLOG!   

Ellen Bryan will host, with Devon Stansbury and Grace Stammen.  Seven women will compete for Devon's title.  For what it's worth, my money is on Jena Sweigart or former teen contestant Emily Werling!

Allison Dilbone 
Age: 18

Education: St. Henry High School , 2011 grad
Talent: vocal & dance "Not for the Life of Me"

Platform: Forever Young: Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Awareness 

Pageant Past:  former competitor at WCO's Outstanding Teen

 
Ashlyn Jutte
Age: 18

Education: Celina High School, 2011 grad; Ball State University / Music Education
Talent: vocal "Mama Who Bore Me"

Platform: Hope Starts Now! Cancer Awareness 

Pageant Past:  none found

Emily Werling
Age: 18

Education: St. Henry High School, 2011 grad;  Capitol University / Vocal Performance
Talent: vocal "I'm a Star" (video)

Platform:  B-CAUS - Breast Cancer Awareness Using Song

Pageant Past: held the titles Miss Scioto Valley's Outstanding Teen, Miss Maumee Valley's Outstanding Teen & Miss All*American City's Outstanding Teen

Jena Sweigart
Age: 19

Education: Celina High School, grad; St. Marys College / Music Education
Talent: Classical vocal "Nessum Dorma" 

Platform: Taking it to the Bank - Feeding Ohio

Pageant Past: she was consistently a RU last year, including 1st RU at this pageant; competed at Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2010 as Miss Grand Lake's Teen

Kelsea Eblen
Age: 17
Education: Celina High School, senior

Talent: vocal "American Honey" (video) 

Platform: Buddy-up Against Bullying 

Pageant Past: competed in Lake Festival's Outstanding Teen 2009

Kirsten Fennig
Age: 18

Education: Celina High School, 2011 grad; Ohio State University / Human Resources & Psychology
Talent: piano "Maple Leaf Rag"

Platform: American Red Cross 

Pageant Past:  competed in a few Miss locals last year, and Teen locals previously

Lillian Roessner
Age: 18

Education: Coldwater High School, 2011 grad; Dayton School of Medical Massage / Massage Therapy
Talent: vocal "Concrete Angel"

Platform: Fine Arts & a Students GPA 

Pageant Past: none found

The beautiful Grace Stammen represented the Lake Festival and was selected 2nd Runner-up at Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2011 pageant; she also won the outstanding Interview Award!  Unfortunately she will not be crowning a successor this year.  There are, however, four princesses: Naomi Cervantes, Daelynne Mauch, Lauren Wenning and Alexis Yenser.  

RESULTS & PHOTOS: Miss Greater Cleveland, Cuyahoga County & Outstanding Teen!

Miss Greater Cleveland

Tera Coleman

Miss Cuyahoga County 

Allison Goodwin

1st RU - Camille Dyquiangco
2nd RU - Lauren Gessner
3rd RU - Rebecca Ribley

Swimsuit - Tera Coleman

Gown - Allison Goodwin

Talent - Camille Dyquiangco

Interview - Christina Muha

Spirit - Lauren Gessner

Miss Cuyahoga County's Outstanding 

Teen Sarah Eash

1RU - Emily Tabar 

2RU Sicily Kiesel 

Fitnesswear - Sarah Eash

Gown - Emily Tabar

Talent - Sarah Eash

Interview - Melanie Drews

Spirit - Melanie Drews

Visiting Titleholders: 

 Above: Alicia Huyghe with contestants, Ashliegh Jarzenski; 

below, Meggie Wittman with princess Olivia Anderson.

Best of Luck to Miss Greater Cleveland / Cuyahoga County & Teen Pageant!

It seems like Miss Ohio was just yesterday, but it's already time to start crowning the class of 2011 - 2012!  The first local preliminary is tonight; Sylvia's Show, otherwise known as Miss Greater Cleveland & Miss Cuyahoga County, will be held at Al Koran Shriners Conference Center in Broadview Heights. 

The talented Marisa Buchheit, Miss Greater Cleveland (left) and stunning Jessica Nelson, Miss Cuyahoga County (right) will be giving up their titles!  Marisa was a Top 10 semifinalist during her second attempt at Miss Ohio.  Jessica, on the other hand, has had a whirl wind pageant experience, assuming her title only four short months ago.  Hopefully both of them return to the Miss Ohio stage next summer! 

Fourteen women are competing in the first local of the year.



I will hopefully add photos and more information later, for now an asterisk denotes the contestants who have previously competed at Miss Ohio.  This is the contestant order:

Lauren Gessner

Education: University of South Alabama

Talent: vocal

Platform:

Pageant Past: Talent and Fitness awards and Top 8 at America's Jr. Miss in 2008 as Ohio's Jr Miss.

Nina Haaskivi

Education: Bowling Green State University / Sports Management 

Talent: vocal

Platform: Right to Life; Right to Play

Pageant Past: Runner-up in 3 of 4 locals last season, including Sweeps

Allison Vance

Education: Ohio State University / Music

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Suicide Prevention Awareness”

Pageant Past: competed a couple time last season 

Danielle Hackler

Education: Ohio State University 

Talent: dance?

Platform:

Pageant Past: none found

Allison Goodwin

Education: Ohio University / Dietetics

Platform: Childhood Obesity 

Talent: dance

Pageant Past:  Miss Vacationland 2010; 1st RU at this pageant last year

Rebecca Ribley

Education: Ashland University

Talent: vocal

Platform: “Raising Awareness of Hunger in America”

Pageant Past: has competed for the past couple years; 3rd RU at this pageant last year

Haley Marie Sims

Education:
Talent:
Platform:
Pageant Past: Miss North Royalton 2010 (non-MAO)

Camille Dyquiangco

Education: Case Western
Talent: dance ?

Platform:

Pageant Past: Miss Alameda County's Outstanding Teen 2009 (CA)

Ashliegh Jarzenski

Education: Ashland University / Digital Media & Journalism

Talent: dance

Platform: Habitat for Humanity 

Pageant Past: competed a few times last year, including this pageant

Christina Muha

Education: University of Toledo / Nursing

Talent: French Horn

Platform: Heart to Heart: Be Smart

Pageant Past: Has competed for a couple years, including this pageant last year

Tera Coleman

Education: The Ohio State University / Law

Talent: vocal

Platform: Appalachian Ohio: Improvement Through Awareness

Pageant Past: Top 10 at Miss Ohio 2010 as Miss Heart of Ohio; competed once or twice last year

Marie Hassan

Education:
Talent:
Platform:
Pageant Past: none found

Priya Sharma - DID NOT COMPETE

Education: Ohio State University, graduate; Cleveland State University, Masters / Occupational Therapy

Talent: Bollywood dance

Platform: Promoting Cancer Research & Awareness

Pageant Past: Miss Huron County 2011

Des-tiny La Shae Robinson

Education:
Talent:
Platform:
Pageant Past: none found

While her sister competes for a Miss title, the seemingly spunky Michelle Goodwin will crown a successor!  She was Third Runner-up at her first try for Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen; six girls are vying for the title: 

Marie Mastellone
Sarah Eash*
Melanie Drews
Erin Simonek
Emily Tabar*
Sicily Kiesel

*Sarah and Emily competed at Miss Ohio's Teen last month.