The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
SIERRA VISTA — Like she was one chosen out of a million as opposed to the winner chosen out of six young women, Maggie Giuffrida covered her mouth in joyful surprise.
Giuffrida won the 40th Annual Miss Sierra Vista Scholarship Pageant on an entertaining Saturday night at the Buena Performing Arts Center.
“I’m in shock,” she said. “I just tried my best. I can’t believe it. It feels awesome.”
Giuffrida earned a $2,000 Miss Sierra Vista Scholarship, along with a $1,000 Elizabeth Ann “Annie” Blair Memorial Scholarship. She also will receive state competition wardrobe expenses totaling $1,500.
 Miss Sierra Vista 2006 Erin Nurss places the crown she once wore on the head of Maggie Giuffrida, who became Miss Sierra Vista 2007 on Saturday night. (Beatrice Richardson-Herald/Review) |
The theme of the show was “Sierra Vista Sings the Blues: Celebrating America’s Blues Music Tradition.”
The pageant is part of the Miss America system.
Giuffrida, a Cochise College sophomore and 2006 Buena High graduate, had her parents and a large group of friends collapse around her shortly after her walk. The 18-year-old liberal arts major will celebrate her 19th birthday in about a month.
“It’s a very tough competition,” Giuffrida said. “I’m going to eat a big dinner. I haven’t been able to eat a big meal in months.”
Stephanie Baker was the first runner-up, while Tanya Valladeres turned in the second runner-up. Baker, a three-time contestant, earned a $750 scholarship. She said she did not know if she would try again next year.
Valladeres earned an Ole Olson Memorial Scholarship worth $500. There were $6,000 in total scholarships awarded.
The talent portion, which accounted for 35 percent of the total score, was one of the highlights of the evening.
Giuffrida had one of the best performances. While wearing a yellow outfit with a few feathers, Giuffrida flapped her arms to Annie Lennox’s “Little Bird”. While dancing like a bird, Giuffrida spun around a half-dozen times on her left leg. After Giuffrida tumbled down a bit, she finished standing straight up.
Giuffrida’s platform during the next year is “encouraging extra-curricular activity.”
If University of Arizona sophomore-to-be Gloria Valenzuela can find time to start her own band or join one, her guitar solo was a nice start. Playing the song “Find Your Way” by punk band 480-Mesa, Valenzuela threw down some riffs on a Epiphone electric guitar while sitting in a chair. The loud song by the Tombstone High School grad was not your usual song-or-dance routine.
“That’s the best I’ve ever played it,” Valenzuela said during the intermission. “I was surprised. I feel good about it.”
Ericka Donovan wore a black-and-white traditional Irish dance costume while she performed a traditional Irish step dance to an Irish song titled “Road to Ballymax.”
“All my heart was into it and I flew,” Donovan said.
Donovan took home a $250 non-finalist talent award and a non-finalist interview award. Baker was given a Quality of Life award.
The evening wear portion was played to blues songs. Donovan was again one of the possible early front-runners. The UA sophomore-to-be wore one of the best dresses, a blue two-piece separated with a shiny jewel-encrusted part of her outfit on her belly.
Giuffrida also wore a relatively unique dress with a blue swimsuit-style top and a dark brown lower portion of the dress.
The swimsuit competition kicked off the contestants’ performances and it got the crowd pumped up.
Jeanette Halliburton walked around in a stunning bright red number that could be seen from several yards away. Donovan sported a blue two-piece suit, with some white trim below the top portion.
On Saturday morning, contestants were interviewed by a panel of judges who evaluated speech, vocabulary, style, personal appearance and responses.
In the on-stage interview, Arizona State University junior-to-be Baker gave one of the strongest answers to her question. Baker, a three-time contestant, talked about muscular dystrophy. She was a marshal at an event that helped raise $96,000 for muscular dystrophy cause.
Afterward, Miss Sierra Vista 2006 Erin Nurss appeared in a jewel-filled crown and a black evening gown.
The University of Arizona nutrition graduate, who will attend graduate school at the UA this fall, made more than 60 appearances around the state. Nurss will compete in a sweetheart pageant in Hubston, Ill.
Nurss said her reign “was quite busy, but it was worth every minute of it.”
Nurss later received a standing ovation after she danced to “Imagine” sung by Dolly Parton. She finished her senior year as the UA’s dance team captain. Before the crowning of Miss Sierra Vista, there was a video montage with her voice-over thanking the community. Like several before her, Nurss cried a little bit.
The master of ceremonies was radio disc jockey Grady Butler of K101 in Sierra Vista. The mistress of ceremonies was Fort Huachuca public information officer Tanja Linton.
Miss Arizona 2007 Nicole Turner appeared near the show’s beginning. The Chandler native talked about an “amazing, fun, scary, all-in-one” experience.
Two-time Miss Sierra Vista Brandi Milloy and Miss Sierra Vista 1996 Diane Tucker were both introduced. Tucker, a 1995 Buena High graduate, was recently named Mrs. World 2007.
Turner was injured and was not able to perform.
Arizona Miss Outstanding Teen Danielle Dastrup also sang a song.
REPORTER Bruce Bourquin can be reached at 515-4621.
Pageant Fan wrote on Aug 1, 2007 3:33 PM: