Miss H.B. to be crowned
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Thirteen young women will vie for a coveted crown Sunday at the annual Miss Huntington Beach pageant.
The scholarship contestants for the event, a precursor to the Miss California and Miss America competitions, must live, work or go to school in Huntington Beach.
The event is put on by the Women of Action division of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Miss Huntington Beach organization.
The Masters of Ceremonies will be Jaime Westman, Miss Huntington Beach 1996, and Mark Chapman of Caught in the Moment Photography, a Huntington Beach Chamber member. Huntington Beach City Councilwoman Jill Hardy will sing the national anthem.
The 2009 pageant is titled “A Surf City Centennial.”
“This year’s event is so special, it’s like crowning Miss Centennial as well,” said Pam Alagata, executive director of Miss H.B.
The contestants are, in order of appearance: Ilyse Liffreing, Kate Brewster, Emily Zaragoza, Emily Walker, Brittney Lewis, Stacy Jackson, Kelsey Schulte, Tiffany Ranney, Chauntelle Ruehman, Lizzie Nguyen, Samantha Bullat, Samantha Gallo and Katie Munson.
The contestant who receives the most votes online will receive a special popular vote award. As of press time, Ruehman led the pack with more than 15,000 votes; Munson was in a close second, with about 13,000 votes. Both led the other contestants by several thousand votes.
All tickets are $15, with the net proceeds going toward scholarships, and are available through all of the contestants and at the box office.
The pageant starts at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Old World German Restaurant, 7561 Center Ave. For more information, call (714) 536-8888 or visit misshb.org.
MEET THE CONTESTANTS
Liffreing, 17, is a senior at Huntington Beach High School. She has been an active member of the Surf City Singers for the past two years. In addition, Liffreing is a member of Academy of the Performing Arts and has received numerous awards from Model United Nations. She holds a variety of leadership positions, ranging from editor in chief of her school newspaper to captain and squad leader for the Junior Lifeguards. She plans to obtain a master’s in English and performing arts, in hope of one day fulfilling her dreams of becoming a successful playwright.
Platform: “Importance of the Written Word”
Brewster, 18, is a senior at Huntington Beach High School. She has trained in dance for seven years, with a particular focus in the area of modern dance and movement. Brewster is an active member of the Surf City Singers and the Academy for the Performing Arts. She was honored as the academy’s best female vocalist in 2008. She plans to obtain a bachelor’s in music, with a focus on ministry.
Platform: “Value of the Arts Enhancing General Education”
Zaragoza, 17, is a senior at Ocean View High School. She is the captain of her varsity cheer squad. Zaragoza recently placed second in the state of California varsity cheer championships. She is president of National Honor Society and Model United Nations. In addition, she is an active member of the varsity pole vaulting team. Her middle name is Miyuki, with means “Beautiful Snow.” Zaragoza plans to obtain a doctorate degree in medicine.
Platform: “Global Warming”
Walker, 17, is an Edison High School senior and Academy for the Performing Arts member. She has been a recipient of the Distinguished Honor Roll every semester throughout her high school career. Walker holds an impressive 4.49 GPA. She is an active member of the Surf City Singers. Her great-great-great-great- grandfather came to California from Mexico during the Gold Rush not to search for gold, but to make suits for the successful miners. Walker plans to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Platform: “Teenage Depression Awareness”
Lewis, 18, attends Golden West College. Her many accomplishments include multiple print and television commercials for Rainbow Disposal. She particularly enjoys performing in the annual Fourth of July Parade. Lewis also recently experienced the thrill of skydiving for the first time. Lewis is working on getting her first book published. She describes her book as having a combination of “old jazz, a hint of cinnamon and classic story of love.” Lewis hopes to receive an internship with the Los Angeles Times. She plans to pursue a master’s in journalism.
Platform: “Cystic Fibrosis Awareness”
Jackson, 17, is a senior at Huntington Beach High School. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Vocal Award from the California Conservatory of the Arts. She is an award-winning performer with the Academy for the Performing Arts. Jackson showcases her many talents by performing with the Surf City Singers, while maintaining academic excellence with a 4.0 GPA. In addition to her achievements and activities, she enjoys cheering on the varsity squad at Huntington Beach High School. She enjoys volunteering her time as a youth mentor specializing in performing arts, and the positive impact it creates. Her future plans include obtaining a doctorate of pharmaceutical sciences.
Platform: “The Importance of Volunteering”
Schulte, 17, is a senior at Huntington Beach High School, where she holds the position of commissioner of assemblies for ASB, and was a varsity cheerleader for two years. She is also active in Model United Nations, and has been honored with the Best Delegate Award at both the UCLA and UCI conferences. She has been a student of the Academy for the Performing Arts for four years, where her vocal and dance skills are showcased in Surf City Singers. As a member of the National Charity League, Schulte has contributed more than 500 hours of community service. She competed in gymnastics for three years, and coached at SCATS this past summer. In addition, Schulte is multi-talented in the arts of juggling and acrobatics, and can dance on stilts. Her future plans include obtaining a bachelor’s in broadcast journalism or theater arts.
Platform: “Community Integration of Special Needs Children”
Ranney, 18, attends Cal State San Marcos on a full soccer scholarship. In recognition of Ranney’s commitment, she was the only female soccer player from her high school to continue with her love of the sport while maintaining her academic excellence at the university. Ranney was honored with the MVP Award on the dive team at Edison High School, as well as the Scholar Athlete Award. In addition, she received the Academic Booster Club Award for History, as well as several delegation awards for Model United Nations. Ranney’s first car was her father’s beloved 1964 Corvette convertible. She often enjoyed cruising throughout town, creating memories alongside her father. She plans to obtain a bachelor’s in criminology, followed by a Juris Doctorate in law.
Platform: “Importance of AIDS/HIV Awareness”
Ruehman, 17, is a senior at Estancia High School. She is a lifetime member of the International Thespian Society, and an American Youth Ambassador to Australia. She enjoys the challenge of competitive surfing, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In addition, she is the student body vice president, emcee of various school activities, and maintains a 4.5 GPA her senior year. She volunteers her time as a face painter, and actively participates in charity events throughout Huntington Beach. Last summer, she had the unique opportunity to live in Melbourne, Australia, for one month as a youth ambassador. Ruehman plans to attend medical school at UCLA and become a pediatrician.
Platform: “Mentoring the Youth to Better Our Community”
Nguyen, 19, is a sophomore at Golden West College, majoring in theater of arts and communication. She is recipient of the Instructional Planning Team Scholarship. Nguyen is the youngest performing arts intern for KOCE-TV and KDOC. She has been accepted into the Nike Field Reporter Program, where she plans to showcase her many talents. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. Nguyen had a principal role on FX’s “Nip/Tuck” Season 5. She is the youngest of 10 siblings. Nguyen enjoys volunteering with the youth program at Holy Spirit church.
Platform: “Renewing America’s Promise”
Bullat, 17, is a senior at Huntington Beach High School, where she is the president of the Amnesty International campus club. She is the recipient of the Academic Achievement Award in English. Bullat maintains a 4.26 GPA. One of her favorite hobbies is participating in Civil War reenactments. Bullat enjoys hand sewing all of her 1860s vintage costumes. Bullat is an active member of the Surf City Singers. At age 9, Bullat starred in her first operatic debut. Her future plans include obtaining a master’s in history and becoming a high school teacher.
Platform: “Preserving Our Heritage”
Gallo, 23, attends Irvine Valley College. She lettered in varsity track and field in high school. She maintained her place as an honor roll student. She represented her peers as president of her class for three consecutive years. Gallo is a member of the Huntington Beach Youth Board. She holds the position as head of the American Thunder — Supporting Our Troops organization. Samantha received her real estate license last year, and is proudly on her way to selling her third house. In her free time, she enjoys restoring her 1967 Dodge Dart GT, in hopes to race down the quarter mile. She plans in majoring in real estate, and one day hopes to own her own development company.
Platform: “YES We Can! Youth Education through Service in the Community”
Munson, 19, attends honors classes at Orange Coast College. She was the recipient of the Character Coalition Award for Kindness at her high school. She was a member of the Clifton Dance Project Company, where she has performed in the starring role as Max in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” She has participated in many national award winning dance competitions. Munson has volunteered as a mentor teaching youth dance classes. She enjoys volunteering her time with Project Self-Sufficiency and the Padre Foundation, a youth diabetic mentoring and activities program. Her future plans include obtaining a master’s degree and becoming an elementary school teacher.
Platform: “Nutrition Education and Obesity Awareness in Children”
CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (714) 966-4631 or at [email protected].
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