One talented young Iowa woman will have an extra ten-thousand dollars to apply to her college costs by tonight. The 2003 Iowa Junior Miss pageant finals begin at 7 P.M. at the Ottumwa High School auditorium. Joyce Sanchez directs the competition, which she says is for girls who are Iowa high school seniors. It’s not a beauty pageant and the girls don’t wear swimsuits. It’s for cash scholarships they can use at any college. The girls get a medallion, they’re not crowned or given a sash. Sanchez says the contestants are judged in five categories: scholastics, interview, poise, talent and fitness. It’s in that final category, she says, that the young women can showcase their physical abilities.Sanchez says the winner of tonight’s competition will go on to the 46th annual America’s Junior Miss National Finals to be telecast live from Mobile, Alabama, on June 28th on PAX-TV. The contestants are: Devon Albert of Bettendorf, Amanda Bird of Delta, Kira Charlet of Norwalk, Sara Davidson of Council Bluffs, Katie Graham of Waterloo, Tasia Guiter of Ottumwa, Rebekah Hamby of Ames, Courtney Pett of Clive, Marisa Post of Norwalk, Julia Schuch of Bettendorf, Libby Williams of Ottumwa and Dawn Wolfer of Melrose. Former Junior Miss winners include newswomen Diane Sawyer and Deborah Norville and actress Debra Messing of “Will & Grace.”
Iowa's Radio News Network
