7 vie for Junior Miss title

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Seven young women, all high school seniors, are competing for the 2009 New Mexico Junior Miss title at 4 p.m., Sunday in the theater on the New Mexico State University-Grants campus. The public is invited, and there is no admission fee.

Three competitors are from Grants High School and one is from Ramah.

Executive Director Laura Malaj was quick to say the Junior Miss Program, is not a “pageant,” rather a scholarship program that examines the participants’ academics, fitness and self-expression. It is part of the national Junior Miss Program.

The competitors

Keri Johnston, 18, a senior at Ramah High School, said she wants to be a child psychologist

“I am good with people and I love working with kids,” she said. “I haven’t quite really decided on being a child psychologist yet, but I know I want to work with kids.”

She will perform on guitar and sing a song, “Whitehorse,” by Taylor Swift and Liz Rose, for her talent.

“It is a love song,” she said.

She has been accepted to New Mexico State University and is awaiting acceptance news from Brigham Young University-Provo, in Utah.

Erin Garcia, 18, a senior at Grants High School, said she wants to be a psychologist.

“I want to be able to help kids,” she said. “I have been through a lot in my life, I lost my dad when I was a little younger and there have been some other things.”

She said she has been accepted at New Mexico State University but is waiting to hear from the University of New Mexico

She will perform a Broadway song for her talent.

Stephanie Fitch, 18, a senior at Grants High School, wants to be a registered nurse.

“I am hoping to win the scholarship so it will help me go to college and further my education in becoming an RN,” she said. “I have always liked helping take care of my family when they are ill.”

She will dance and play drums for her talent.

Teri Harwood, 18, a senior at Grants High School, said she wants to become an orthodontist.

“Everybody has teeth and a lot of people, kids, need to have their teeth straightened,” she said.

She said she also wants to win the top spot for the scholarship to attend college.

She will play a classical piece on the piano for her talent, “L’Orage” (the storm), by Friedrich Burgmuller.

The three contestants who are not from area high schools are:

Alexa Pace, Rio Rancho High School. She wants a career in health care and has applied to Brigham Young University-Idaho. She will perform “Canon” by Johann Pachelbel on the piano for her talent.

Kelsey Kasper, from Rio Rancho High School, has set a goal of becoming a nurse in microbiology. She has applied to University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She will sing “When I Fall in Love,” by Edward Heyman.

Taylor Muller, from Los Lunas High School, is seeking a career in the engineering field. She has applied to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She will perform a Brazilian Samba dance “Magdalena” by Sergio Mendez, for her talent.

The winner of the Junior Miss program will receive a $2,500 scholarship for college, with other finalists receiving scholarships, totaling $6,000.

Competition and judging points

• Interview (25 percent) — Current events and each participant’s own community. Personal goals and ambitions are heavily weighted.
• Scholastics (20 percent) — Honors classes, class difficulty, grade point average and SAT scores.
• Fitness (15 percent) — Aerobics exercises for six to nine minutes. Judges look for stamina and endurance.
• Self-expression (15 percent) — A dress to show their personality and are asked a question on stage.
• Talent (25 percent) — Singing, dancing, playing piano and playing drums.

There is no swimsuit category since this is not a pageant, rather a scholarship program.

The New Mexico Junior Miss will be eligible to compete in the national competition in Atlanta, Ga., where the program is based.

On the net: www.ajm.org
Information: (505) 285-3542.
To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.