Pageant Press: Ten vie for Miss West Central Ohio

The following article is from the St. Marys Evening Leader.

Ten vie for Miss West Central Ohio
By ASHLEY SMITH

ST. MARYS — Ten women have all the makings of beauty queens, but on Saturday night, only one will walk away with the crown.

From 9 to 11 p.m., the St. Marys Theater will host the third annual Miss West Central Ohio pageant.

For this one evening, contestants from St. Marys, Wapakoneta, Spencerville, Union City, Fort Recovery and Lima will compete for the crown and the chance to compete at Miss Ohio.

This live-broadcasted event will feature beauty and poise — and not just from the contestants.

Two former Miss America's, Kellye Cash, 1987, and Kaye Lani Raye Rafko-Wilson, 1989, will host this year's pageant.

The program will feature a variety of competitions including the evening gown, talent, swimsuit and an on-stage question — an event Executive Director Madonna Pettit hopes will turn into a fun and entertaining evening.

"I think it's going to be a great show," she said. "I think these girls have a lot talent."

The crowd will also be entertained by groups from The Dance Centre in Wapakoneta and by a rendition of "In America" sung by Kalvin Wayne. The VFW Post 9289 in St. Marys will also accompany him on stage for the performance.

The winner of this year's pageant will receive $2,700 cash from WLIO NBC Lima plus prizes and a trip to Miss Ohio.

WLIO is also providing the live broadcast of this year's show.

The gold sponsors for the event, those who have donated over $1,000, are Grand Lake Health System, Midwest Electric, St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Celina and the St. Marys VFW Post 9289.
The doors open at 8 p.m. for the show. Tickets are $10 and are available at the Spring Street Coffee House or at St. Marys Hobby Center and Trading Post.

The following are short biographies on each of the 10 contestants:

Jessica Barrett, 19, Wapakoneta

Barrett will be a sophomore at Miami University, studying microbiology. She is also a graduate of Wapakoneta High School. She works at Bob Evans and as an assistant dance teacher at The Dance Centre. For her talent, she will sing "Popular," a Broadway tune.
Her platform is organ donation through which she hopes to make people aware of the growing numbers of patients.

"Whether we are still alive or even after death, we very rarely get the chance, or more fittingly, the privilege, of saving a precious human life," she wrote in her resume. "Through organ donation, anyone can truly be a real-life hero."

Candace N. Bryan, 17, Wapakoneta

Bryan will be a freshman at the University of Iowa in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is also a graduate of Wapakoneta High School. She is employed as a teaching assistant at The Dance Centre and also at Aeropostale Clothing Company. Her platform issue is individuality.

For her talent, she will perform a lyrical dance to "Tori." According to her resume, she looks forward to sharing her talent with the audience.

"It is a joy to be able to share my art my art and my beliefs with others, and by being named Miss West Central Ohio, I think that I will be able to share my art and my belief with many more people to come," she said.

Grace Caudill, 19, Spencerville

Caudill will be a sophomore at The Ohio State University, studying international relations. She is a graduate of Aaron Academy. She is self-employed, teaching piano and voice. Her talent is a piano/vocal solo of "When I Fall in Love," and her platform is "Self-esteem in Today's Youth."

If she was chosen as the next Miss WCO, she would cherish her reign as the finalist.

"I believe so strongly in the value and importance of today's young girls," she wrote in her resume. "As Miss West Central Ohio 2006, I would uphold the statutes of this wonderful organization, perform all duties and responsibilities positively, responsibly and passionately. ..."

Jenelle L. Fleagle, 20, St. Marys

Fleagle will be a senior at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. She also attended Wright State University. She was home schooled and was a graduate of Sidney Christian High School. She will sing "Jesus Take the Wheel" for her talent, and her platform is "Embracing Female Health" — a platform about which she feels passionate.

"I desire to be remembered as working the hardest I possibly can to help women in their battle for health and being an example to young girls who also think as I thought that holding (the Miss America) title was only a dream," she said in her resume about her legacy, "a dream, which can only be obtained through hard work and dedication."

Joy Deanna Fleagle, 18, St. Marys

Fleagle is currently a home schooled senior. She hopes to attend Mount Vernon Nazarene University in the fall, studying fashion design/merchandising. She is employed as a dental assistant for Dr. Jeff Fleagle and a secretary for Dr. Doug Wine. Her talent is singing a pop vocal rendition of "Hero." Her platform is based on spreading the awareness to girls and young women on accepting their natural beauty.

If chosen, she has a plan to create a Web site to promote the idea of her platform.

"By winning the title of Miss West Central Ohio, I would begin my serving of this position by creating my own Web site for girls and young women," she wrote in her resume. "On this site, I would have available links to other useful books, Web sites and stories of my own struggles with physical and inward beauty."

Kelly Christine Haehn, 18, Wapakoneta

Haehn will be a freshman at Rhodes State College studying nursing. She is a graduate of Wapakoneta High School. She is employed at her father's floral shop, Haehn Florist, in Wapakoneta. For her talent, she will dance a jazz/hip hop number. Her platform issue is promoting youth to be active in 4-H — an issue that is close to her heart.

"It is very important to me that people know and understand what 4-H can do for our community and for our youth today," she wrote in her resume. "My plan would be to motivate the youth by getting into their school and other places of activities to education them about this excellent program. There are so many different things that are offered through 4-H."

Marisa Minor, 19,Fort Recovery

Minor will be a junior at the University of Dayton. She also attended Wright State University-Lake Campus. She is a graduate of Fort Recovery High School. She is employed at Ace Hardware and also as a wedding and event soloist and a keynote speaker. For her talent, she will perform an opera solo of "Gira con Me." Her platform is based on changing lives through Big Brothers/Big Sisters. If she is crowned, she hopes to make an even bigger impact on this program.

"Big Brothers/Big Sisters is a non-profit organization that, without donations and grants, would be financially strained — as many Ohio chapters presently are," she wrote in her resume. "The crown magnifies distinction and influence to an audience, and as Miss West Central, I will be extremely active in bettering my platform and the Miss America organization itself."

Kristy Moneysmith, 17, Union City

Moneysmith will be a freshman at Edison Community College and a graduate of Mississinawa Valley High School. She is employed as a child care provider and as a stable worker at Craig Bowman Stables. She will sing "You Light Up My Life" for her talent, and her platform is based on agricultural awareness, which she hopes to increase as Miss WCO.

"It is crucial for the nation to be exposed to agricultural awareness, and they must be exposed now," she wrote in her resume. "Year after year, the nation unknowingly has a decline in agriculture, and I think there is not greater task for Miss West Central Ohio than administering the nation in becoming aware of agriculture and the impact it has had on our nation since the beginning of time."

Ashley Rodabaugh, 19, Lima

Rodabaugh will be a sophomore at Loyola University of Chicago, studying political science/communications. She is a graduate of Lima Central Catholic High School. She is employed as a hip hop dance teacher/choreographer, as well as other part-time positions. For her talent, she will perform a Ballet en Pointe to "Concrete Angel." Her platform is based on topic of wearing your seat belts — "Buckle Up America: Click It or Ticket."

If chosen as Miss WCO, she hopes to leave a legacy that is one which makes wearing your seat belt "fashionable."

"I hope to leave an impact on thousands of lives that choose to join the campaign and work to change the secondary seat belt laws to primary laws," she wrote in her resume. "I hope to make seal belt wearing a fashionable trend that all people will want to do allowing for many lives to be saved."

Amanda Sampson, 19, St. Marys

Sampson will be a sophomore education major at Bowling Green State University. She is a graduate of Memorial High School in St. Marys. She is employed by the city of St. Marys as a lifeguard, as well as at Best Value Inn and Suites. For her talent, she will sing "Think of Me" from Phantom of the Opera. For her platform, she chose the acronym "S.H.A.R.E." which stands for start helping, assisting, reaching and experiencing — a message she hopes to spread to the world.

"I not only want to inform people on what they can do to make a difference but actually how easy it is for people to get involved in their own communities and what a difference their small steps can make today," she wrote in her resume. "S.H.A.R.E. is just one small word, but each letter has a large meaning. Share inspires others to start helping, assisting, realizing and experiencing what they can do for others."