Ashlynn Nussbaumer, 16, a senior at Big Valley Christian High School in Modesto won the Miss Manteca crown for the 2018-2019 year after posting a perfect score in the personality interview of the Manteca Youth Focus competition.
The new Miss Manteca is the daughter of Manteca businessman Shawn Nussbaumer and Amy Daniels of Manteca.
She also earned a $1,500 educational scholarship and a partial sponsorship to the 2019 California State Youth Accolades Scholarship next summer in San Jose. There was a total of $3,900 in scholarships awarded Saturday afternoon at Calvary Community Church.
Ashlynn delivered a dynamic monologue in the talent competition and was voted the most inspirational by her peers. There were 14 achieving youth – with a desire to make a difference and to represent their community – who competed in six phases of the competition. Three of the phases were judged in advance of the show and the remaining three taking place on stage Saturday.
The first three included community service, academic achievement and personality interviews. The remaining three were judged live on-stage Saturday including community advocacy speech, stage arts and communicative skills/impromptu questions.
The first alternate to Miss Manteca is Molly Dua, 16, from Manteca High, crowned Miss Pumpkin Fair receiving a $500 scholarship. Molly’s stage art demonstration was a Polynesian dance. Miss Teen Manteca Arveen Birdi earned a perfect score in her stage arts presentation receiving a $500 scholarship. Teen Manteca City Ambassador Josiah Lott use a personality interview as his talent and also received a $500 scholarship. Miss Young Alani Mullenix also presented a stage arts profile and received a $200 scholarship.
Miss Teen Pumpkin Fair Katie Kotch with her community advocacy speech received at $250 scholarship. And, Miss Young Pumpkin Fair Madilyn Garrison presented a personality interview as her talent receiving a $100 scholarship.
All-star team finalists included Charissa Goodman,18, a recent graduate of Sierra High School will be attending Sacramento State next semester and received a $100 scholarship. And, Carolina Ortega, 20, a business student at UOP Eberhardt School of Business. Her stage art involved a vocal presentation, receiving a $100 scholarship. Ixcaret Avina demonstrated her communicative skills to win a Teen Division All-Star Team scholarship of $50. Miss Young Winter Fest Sophie Cockriel presented her personality interview for a $50 educational scholarship and $25 each went to Mallory Myers and Lauren Cross from the Young Division All-Star Team.
The 2018 Teen Manteca City Ambassador is Josiah Lott who attends Delta Charter High School.
The Miss Manteca contest began in 1968 through the Manteca District Chamber of Commerce with the crowning of Karla Anderson as the very first queen. The chamber continued hosting the competition for some 20 years passing the program on to the Fourth of July Committee in 1987 until 1994 – turning control over to the Manteca Youth Focus.
Those early days saw the contest as more of a beauty pageant including the prettiest of young girls, crown, sash and fur-trimmed cape. Each contestant was sponsored by a downtown Manteca business with various phases of the competition including bathing suit, evening gown, talent and on stage questions – prizes included cash prizes and gift certificates.
Manteca Youth Focus took over the competition in 1995 and the event became a scholarship competition crowning Tammy Gail Garrison as their first queen.
A total of 23 former Miss Manteca winners were present Saturday all standing together on stage drawing the applause of the audience.
To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.
