Congratulations to the New Miss West Central Ohio, Jessica Barrett!
Saturday night the St. Marys theatre was filled with excitement for the Miss West Central Ohio pageant. In the end Jessica Barrett claimed the title and talent award. Already knowing, as I watched from the audience, that she and outgoing Miss WCO, Kyrsten Chambers are friends and sorority sisters at Miami University made the crowning an especially sweet moment.
I met Jessica a couple years ago during a singing competition at the St. Marys theatre; she is such a sweet girl! Every year at Miss Ohio there seems to be a first year contestant who acts mature despite her lacking experience with a spunky personality that everyone likes and a great talent. In recent years (in my opinion) Emily Fitzpatrick and Becky Minger have fit that bill; I predict Jessica could be that girl at Miss Ohio 2007.
Since I am from the area and attended the pageant I realize I’ve posted a ton about this program; the complete results, a couple news paper articles and lots of photos are in posts below. A few remaining tidbits are as follows:
The Judges:
Stephanie (Meisberger) Winland, Miss Ohio 2000
Lynn Weaver, Mrs. America All Nations, among other titles
Susan Short, Miss Northwestern Ohio 1972 and Miss Michigan 1974
Susan Ward, choreographer and dance competition judge
John Moul, JAG veteran and local attorney
Brian Keegan, Director of Lima Civic and Convention Centers
Molly Elston, Former Miss West Central Ohio
My E.D.s were on hand as auditor and judges chair.
The Money!:
I don’t think I included this in my earlier posts; like Miss Lake Festival, this pageant gave out some sweet scholarships!
Jessica received $2,700 for the title and $150 for Talent.
First Runner-up Marissa Minor was quite satisfied with $1,000.
In-kind scholarships of over $3,000 were given from OSU Lima, Rhodes State and WSU Lake Campus as well!
The Miss Americas:
Of course, Kay Lani Rae Rafko and Kellye Cash were amazing! My pageant friends Betsy Wagener, Roberta Camp and Kaela Gardner know I have much love for them, but you simply have not heard the song “Gold” until you have heard Kellye Cash sing it! She was so comical as well; she used a valley girl accent to joke that while growing up in California she never considered doing pageants, but when she moved to Tennessee, “where they’re crowned coming out of the womb,” she was talked into one. Here’s some pageant trivia for you, from Kellye’s microphone to my attentive ears, her uncle Johnny Cash purchased the gown that she won Miss Tennessee in and Miss America was only her fourth pageant! She joked about her resemblance to Johnny (which she does not possess), but said she tries, as she was wearing a black gown!
Indeed, having two Miss Americas brings a diva attitude to the stage! During the onstage question Kellye told Tim (the Theatre owner and TV director) to turn the music down, “I can’t hear myself think up here!” Since the pageant was aired live there was a scramble at the end to make sure the results, thank yous and farewells were timely; Kay Lani told the auditors (local E.D.s Eric Wagener and Bryon Sparks) to “hurry up guys!” I turned to the people around me and said only she could get away with that!
I met Jessica a couple years ago during a singing competition at the St. Marys theatre; she is such a sweet girl! Every year at Miss Ohio there seems to be a first year contestant who acts mature despite her lacking experience with a spunky personality that everyone likes and a great talent. In recent years (in my opinion) Emily Fitzpatrick and Becky Minger have fit that bill; I predict Jessica could be that girl at Miss Ohio 2007.
Since I am from the area and attended the pageant I realize I’ve posted a ton about this program; the complete results, a couple news paper articles and lots of photos are in posts below. A few remaining tidbits are as follows:
The Judges:
Stephanie (Meisberger) Winland, Miss Ohio 2000
Lynn Weaver, Mrs. America All Nations, among other titles
Susan Short, Miss Northwestern Ohio 1972 and Miss Michigan 1974
Susan Ward, choreographer and dance competition judge
John Moul, JAG veteran and local attorney
Brian Keegan, Director of Lima Civic and Convention Centers
Molly Elston, Former Miss West Central Ohio
My E.D.s were on hand as auditor and judges chair.
The Money!:
I don’t think I included this in my earlier posts; like Miss Lake Festival, this pageant gave out some sweet scholarships!
Jessica received $2,700 for the title and $150 for Talent.
First Runner-up Marissa Minor was quite satisfied with $1,000.
In-kind scholarships of over $3,000 were given from OSU Lima, Rhodes State and WSU Lake Campus as well!
The Miss Americas:
Of course, Kay Lani Rae Rafko and Kellye Cash were amazing! My pageant friends Betsy Wagener, Roberta Camp and Kaela Gardner know I have much love for them, but you simply have not heard the song “Gold” until you have heard Kellye Cash sing it! She was so comical as well; she used a valley girl accent to joke that while growing up in California she never considered doing pageants, but when she moved to Tennessee, “where they’re crowned coming out of the womb,” she was talked into one. Here’s some pageant trivia for you, from Kellye’s microphone to my attentive ears, her uncle Johnny Cash purchased the gown that she won Miss Tennessee in and Miss America was only her fourth pageant! She joked about her resemblance to Johnny (which she does not possess), but said she tries, as she was wearing a black gown!
Indeed, having two Miss Americas brings a diva attitude to the stage! During the onstage question Kellye told Tim (the Theatre owner and TV director) to turn the music down, “I can’t hear myself think up here!” Since the pageant was aired live there was a scramble at the end to make sure the results, thank yous and farewells were timely; Kay Lani told the auditors (local E.D.s Eric Wagener and Bryon Sparks) to “hurry up guys!” I turned to the people around me and said only she could get away with that!
posted by Abby Bollenbacher at
3:02 AM
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