Pageant Winners Crowned Onstage at WPPAC
Using every bit of effort, the newly crowned Miss Hudson Valley Teen was trying not to burst into tears of joy. As Kayla Lonergan, a 17-year-old Yorktown Heights resident walked to receive her sash and crown, her shock and bliss were hard to mask.
“I can’t even believe it. I’m still in shock right now,” Lonergan said afterward. “I’m shaking. I can’t even stand up right, right now.”
Lonergan’s sheer exuberance was a perfect sample of how the night went overall during Miss Westchester and Miss Hudson Valley and Miss Westchester Teen and Miss Hudson Valley Teen Beauty Pageant held at the White Plains Performing Arts Center in White Plains Saturday night.
Though only four young women won the ultimate prize of royalty, all contestants stood proud by the time the show was at the end. The fourth annual event featured a swimsuit, evening gown, and question and answer section that ultimately determined the winner.
One of the two executive directors, Laura Gianonne called the event “fantastic.”
“They were phenomenal. They’re comradery is great, they supported each other,” Gianonne said. “And it was a big success and we’re really happy.”
Besides Lonergan’s Miss Hudson Valley Teen crown, Mayra Avila of Yonkers won Miss Westchester and Stephanie Bavolar of Scarsdale was awarded Miss Westchester Teen. As for Miss Hudson Valley, Brittany Drahos of Queensbury won that distinction. The young women will represent Westchester County and the Hudson Valley region at the Miss New York USA and Miss New York Teen USA Pageants at Purchase College Performing Arts Center in January.
The panel of judges from the worlds of entertainment, beauty, fashion, journalism and philanthropy evaluated the contestants ages 14-26 in the categories of interview, swimsuit, evening gown and on stage question. This year’s group of judges included Jesus Estrada, a designer and past contestant on Project Runway; Marina Bonci, a public relations/talk show host for skincare; Sharon Mosley, an award-winning cable TV talk show host and producer; Christopher Gulotta, a lawyer dedicated to his community; Jillian Hassett, a director of a print and commercial modeling agency in New York City.
Special awards were also handed out Saturday night. The winners of the Photogenic and Style Awards were judged by members of the local media: Daniel LoPriore, the Daily Voice; Jennifer Walford, Found in Yonkers; Jovan C. Richards, WVOX Radio. The awards were presented by Dominic P. Artuso, M.D. of New Image Laser & Med Spa. The People’s Choice Award was presented by Mary Grace Henry, founder of Reverse The Course Foundation, the beneficiary of a fundraiser by the pageant contestants. The award winners were: Congeniality, Jordan Decker, 16, Pleasantville; Photogenic, Kayla Lonergan; Style, Kiersten Ahle, 16, New City; Spirit, Domenica DiSapia, 23, New Rochelle; Service, Crystal Scott, 21, Yonkers; People’s Choice, Jordan Decker.
The Queens’ Courts included: Miss Westchester 1st Runner Up, Nadia Manginelli, 20 Peekskill; Miss Westchester 2nd Runner Up, Sierra Bangari, 19, Yonkers; Miss Westchester Teen 1st Runner Up, Crista Quiles, 21, Yonkers; Miss Hudson Valley 1st Runner Up, Crista Quiles, 21, Yonkers; Miss Hudson Valley 2nd Runner Up, Jaleesa Peterkin, 24, Staten Island; Miss Hudson Valey Teen 1st Runner Up, Kiersten Ahle; Miss Hudson Valley Teen 2nd Runner Up, Sophia D’Ambrosio, 15, Duanesburg.
For many of the contestants, they are new to the pageant scene, but soon gain the needed composure to walk out on stage. This was only Lonergan’s second year, and since competing the first time, she feels more like a seasoned pro. “This experience changed my life,” Lonergan said. “It’s given me so much confidence and not only winning the crown but meeting so many new girls. We’ve created a family back stage.”
For the winners, they’ll have a full year of community events and opportunities to immerse themselves, like going to Blythedale Children Hospital, other children charities working with veterans, and plenty of parades and Christmas tree lightings.
The prizes they won were also a long and envious list for most young women.
With this being the fourth year, the pageant has continued to expand and become more ingrained in Westchester. As deputy county executive Kevin Plunkett said at the start of the event, the pageant and it contestants “makes a differences here in Westchester County.”
