Tri-Valley High School senior Renae Wright was crowned 2007 Miss SEO Teen Sunday afternoon, taking three of the six top awards.
Miranda Walker, a sophomore at John Glenn, was first runner-up and Philo junior Sierra Moore was second runner-up.
Other contestants included Emileigh Brocklehurst, who took home $200 in scholarship money by winning the Spirit Award, Evening Wear and the Health & Fitness portions of the program; Jennifer Guerin; Amanda Lanning, who showed off her vocal chops with "Never Alone"; and Tori Green, the youngest contestant in the program - she's a seventh-grader at Roosevelt Middle School who performed beyond her years by singing "I Enjoy Being a Girl."
"It's just overwhelming, it's a blast," said Wright, while greeting family members for photos. "I'm looking forward to other opportunities to perform with the LeVecks."
"We've been tickled to work with her throughout the year," said Vicki LeVeck, program director. "And she's told us she wants to compete this December at the Miss SEO Pageant."
Wright, who competed in the event last year, said she would use her experience as preparation for the Miss SEO Scholarship Pageant, to be held in December at Secrest Auditorium.
"I've always been a talker, and I think that helped in the interview," she said. "I love to volunteer, I'm the president of my class, president of our Ruritan group. I can't wait."
Mom Kelly Weiser was proud of her daughter's accomplishment.
"We weren't expecting her to win, but we were hoping," Weiser said. "We knew she had everything under control and we are so excited."
The judges were impressed with how Wright carried herself.
"She's very articulate, very polished," said judge Meghan Olmstead, who is a former Miss Greater Akron and Miss Summit County. "She has great leadership skills. You could tell in the interview that she really has an idea of the tactics she would take to tackle a problem." Moore, who garnered a second runner-up finish in her second Miss SEO Teen Pageant experience, said she made a lot of friends through the process.
"That's what's fun about it," she said. "I wanted to do this again to get stage experience and use it as a stepping stone for other pageants. It was just a lot of fun."
As for Walker, the 10th-grader was surprised to get first runner-up, after an illness slowed her in recent days.
"I wasn't sure if I would be able to sing, so I had a dance performance prepared just in case," Walker said. "I was so nervous, this is my first time doing anything like this. But I've been taking voice lessons from Andy (LeVeck) and they thought it would be a great performance opportunity for me."
Wright's prize package included a $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice - she intends to enroll at Ohio State University next year and will pursue a degree in middle childhood education.
Areas of competition included interview (30 percent), talent (20 percent), commitment to community service (20 percent), health and fitness (15 percent) and evening wear (15 percent).
Open to area girls between ages 13 and 18, the competition allows them to showcase their talents, earn money for future college pursuits and become involved in the community, LeVeck said.
"The best part is watching the girls engage the audience and really connecting with them," LeVeck said, noting that she works with the contestants during a workshop and orientation prior to the event. "And seeing their growth from year to year. An event like this really prepares them for things like the Y-City Star or other pageants. I'm proud of them all."
Along with the seven contestants, two Junior Miss SEO and two Little Miss SEO ambassadors were introduced at the event, in Madeline Foster, Laine Welker, Hannah Fasilis and Megan Yocum.
Yocum, a student in the Melissa Marie School of Dance, took part in an opening number by Mikaela Adams and David Dunn of the Solid Gold Dancers. And Fasilis brought some chuckles from the crowd when she said she loves watching Iron Chef and wants to be just like Emeril when she grows up.
Y-City Star winner Shelley Bobo also took the stage to sing "Anyway" and 2006 Miss SEO Teen Sasha Eby and 2007 Miss SEO Ashleigh Lemon were also a part of the program.