The new Manteca Youth Focus All-Star Team and Captains will be featured in next Monday’s Fourth of July parade in Manteca.
The 10 a.m. parade sponsored by the Sunrise Kiwanis starts on North Main Street by Golden West School.
It heads down Main to Center Street where it heads west and ends at Library Park.
Manteca Youth Focus celebrated its 28th anniversary with the annual Manteca Scholarship Competition last weekend. The celebration of leadership, volunteer service and talent awarded educational scholarships, leadership training and volunteer service opportunities to deserving young men and women of achievement from the greater Manteca community.
Fifteen young men and women of achievement stepped forward with the desire to make a difference and represent their community. In recognition of their unique talents and abilities the Board of Directors of Manteca Youth Focus awarded each contestant with a “Starlight Award” in the phase of competition they scored their personal best as indicated below. (Individual starlight awards indicated in parenthesis below)
Here are the results of the Manteca Youth Focus Scholarship Competition held June 18 at Cornerstone Community Church:
Placing first in the competition for their age division – these are the representatives of Manteca and Manteca Youth Focus for 2022:
*Miss Manteca Molly Dua (Perfect score - Personality Interview) will receive a $1,500 scholarship. She is 20 years of age and an undergrad student at University of California Santa Barbara majoring in Economics. For her talent Molly presented a Bollywood style dance. For her advocacy project, she will continue her work on behalf of Agape Villages Foster Family Agency via her Project HUGS campaign, which she created 6 years ago to provide stuffed animals, backpacks with school supplies and personal care items for children in foster care. She was sponsored by Baskin Robbins on Kiefer Boulevard in Sacramento.
*Manteca City Ambassador Landon Everett Wolfe (Personality Interview) will also receive a $1,500 scholarship. He is a 16 year old junior attending East Union High School. For his talent he performed a piano piece which he composed himself and presented his photography. For his advocacy he will continue his annual toy drive for Valley Children’s Hospital. He was sponsored by Manteca Property Services, Glenda Herrera with Crossroads Real Estate, Kathy King with Ability Mortgage, Agape Fireplace & Grills, the Emperado family, and Chris Livengood.
*Miss Teen Manteca Alani Isabel Mullenix (Academic Achievement) will receive a $500 scholarship. She is a 14-year old sophomore at Sierra High School. For her stage arts, Alani presented a vocal solo. For her advocacy project, she will share her love of reading by collecting bags of books for children. She was sponsored by Alan Lee, DDS.
*Teen Manteca City Ambassador Marcus Mengkai Ang (Stage Arts) will also receive a $500 scholarship. He is a 13 year old 8th grader at Hart-Ransom Charter School. For his stage arts, Marcus played the piano. For his advocacy project, he plans to partner with his Kids Rotary Club to help raise money to support families in need. He wass sponsored by the Ang family.
*Miss Young Manteca Izabella Louise Neuner (Academic Achievement) will receive a $200 scholarship. She is a 10 year old 5th grader at Brock Elliott Elementary School. For her stage arts, she presented a dance routine. For her advocacy project, Bella plans to host a collection drive for pet care items for the City of Manteca Animal Services Shelter. She was sponsored by Monkeys RV & Auto Service.
Placing second in the competition for their age division – these are the representatives of the Manteca-Sunrise Kiwanis Club and the 2022 Manteca Pumpkin Fair this October:
*Miss Pumpkin Fair Alyssa Krissy Dominguez (Academic Achievement) will receive a $500 scholarship. She is a 16-year old junior at East Union High School. For her stage arts, she presented a cheer dance routine. For her advocacy project, Alyssa will implement the club on campus she created this year to empower young female leaders. She was sponsored by Manteca Bedquarters.
*Pumpkin Fair Ambassador Ace Sulek (Personality Interview) will also receive a $500 scholarship. He is 16 years old and a junior at Manteca High School. For his stage arts, he played the acoustic guitar. For his advocacy project, Ace plans to organize and coordinate environmental clean-ups. He was sponsored by the Sulek and Neuner families.
*Miss Teen Pumpkin Fair Elizabeth Elektra Neuner (Personality Interview) will receive a $250 scholarship. She is a 15 year old sophomore at Sierra High School. For her stage arts, Lizzy performed a country line dance. For her advocacy project, she plans to partner with Agape Villages Foster Family Agency to collect and donate personal hygiene items for children in foster care. She was sponsored by Monkeys RV & Auto Service, Dr. Trang Duong, DDS, and Ranee Kee with Shop Green & Save.
*Miss Young Pumpkin Fair Kayleigh Brooke Douglas (Personality Interview) will receive a $100 scholarship. She is 11years old and in the 6th grade at Walter Woodward Elementary School. For her stage arts, she presented a cheer dance and tumbling routine. For her advocacy project, Kayleigh plans to work with her best friend and fellow all-star team member, Morgan Silva, to bring cheer to children receiving care in hospitals by making cards and friendship bracelets. She is sponsored by JS West Propane & Gas and Claudia Parreira.
Placing third in the competition for their age divisions - these are the representatives of a brand new title for MYF. In partnership with the Manteca Chamber of Commerce, these young people will represent the Chamber and the 2023 Crossroads Watermelon Street Fair next June.
*Miss Teen Watermelon Street Faire Deziree Alexiz Valladarez (Personality Interview) will receive a $250 scholarship. Dez is 13 years old and in the 8th grade at Golden West Elementary School. For her stage arts, Dez presented an inspirational speech. For her advocacy project, Dez plans to conduct a clothing drive and assistance for homeless women for job interviews. She was sponsored by Rose Garcia.
*Miss Young Watermelon Street Faire Yannis Enlin Ang (Stage Arts) will receive a $100 scholarship. Yannis is 10 years old and in the 5th grade at Parkview Elementary School. For her stage arts, she played the piano. For her advocacy project, Yannis plans to entertain senior citizens in senior living homes by organizing music performances to bring them cheer. She was sponsored by the Ang family.
*Miss Young Winterfest Madison Motzkus: Placing fourth in the young division was Madison Motzkus who was named Miss Young Winter Fest. She will receive a $75 scholarship and represent MYF at winter themed holiday events such as the Twilight Holiday Parade, Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Manteca Parks & Recreation Breakfast with Santa. She is 10 years old and in the 5th grade at New Haven Elementary School. For her stage arts, Madison performed a vocal solo. For her advocacy project, Madison plans to collect hygiene products to create personal care kits for distribution at local homeless shelters and assist Love, Inc. with the One Point in Time Homeless Count. She was sponsored by Les Schwab Tires.
Additionally non-finalist All-Star Team scholarships were awarded to the following contestants. They will also serve as representatives of MYF during the coming year and serve the community with significant contributions at their signature events and projects.
*Saige Michelle Carstersen (Personality Interview) will receive a $75 scholarship. She is a 14-year old sophomore at Venture Academy. For her stage arts, Saige performed a XCel gymnastics routine. For her advocacy project, Saige plans to raise awareness regarding the importance of spaying & neutering pets. She was sponsored by George Woodville in loving memory of Paula Woodville.
*Morgan Taylor Silva (Stage Arts) will receive a $50 scholarship. She is 10 years old and a 6th grader at Joshua Cowell Elementary School. For her stage arts, she presented a cheer dance & tumbling routine. For her advocacy project, Mo plans to work with her best friend and Miss Young Pumpkin Fair , Kayleigh Douglas, to bring cheer to children receiving care in hospitals with her therapy dog, Tennyson. She was sponsored by Mane Street Studio.
These are the winners of the various special awards.
Talent “Imagination” Award: (highest score in stage arts phase of competition)
- Molly Dua, Upper Division
- Marcus Ang, Teen Division
- Yannis Ang, Young Division
Academic Achievement “Resiliency” Award: (highest score in academic achievement phase of competition)
- Alyssa Dominguez, Upper Division
- Alani Mullenix, Teen Division
- Izabella Neuner, Young Division
Volunteer Service “Kindness Matters” Award: (highest score in volunteer service phase of competition)
- TIE – Autumn Nava & Alyssa Dominguez, Upper Division
- Elizabeth Neuner, Teen Division
- Izabella Neuner, Young Division
Most Inspirational Award: (as voted by the contestants)
- Elizabeth Neuner, Teen Division
- Izabella Neuner, Young Division
In the senior division (ages 16-20), this award takes on additional significance, as it is dedicated in loving memory to Breanne Wigginton. Breanne was one of the original youth participants in MYF programs in the mid-90's. She competed at the teen and adult levels, never having earned a title on stage.
However, she did win the most inspirational award each time. In 1998, she was selected as Miss Pumpkin Fair mid-year just weeks before the fair, as MYF entered a partnership with the Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis to have our alternates serve as their titleholders. Breanne was crowned, very humbly and without fanfare, in the then director Carol Noceti's living room alongside the teen alternate, Lacey Chamberlain. Both girls were overjoyed to have this honor and set a new standard for sportsmanship, humility and grace. Breanne was a talented artist, musician and loving mother of 2.
After high school she went on to serve our country in the military and also entered the sheriff's academy. Tragically, her light was extinguished much too soon. In 2019, the MYF Board of Directors voted to rename the senior division inspirational award in her honor and Johanna Lott was selected as the first recipient and Arveen Birdi was chosen in 2021. This year's recipient continues in the footsteps of previous winners to carry on their legacy of loving kindness. Congratulations to Alyssa Dominguez for this tremendous honor.
The “People’s Choice Award” winner was chosen via a fundraiser voted on by members of the audience. While it has no bearing on the overall outcome of the competition, it is a fun way for the family of the contestants to show their support and also help raise money for the MYF scholarship fund. The prize includes a fun basket of gift cards and prizes to enjoy.
This year Alani Mullenix was chosen as the recipient. The Above & Beyond Recognition Award is a new program for 2022. Contestants are recognized for going above and beyond in their fundraising efforts. It has no bearing on the official outcome of the competition. The Above and Beyond Silver Award went to Elizabeth Neuner and the Above and Beyond Gold Award went to Landon Wolfe.
The competition is under the direction of Douglas Scott - MYF Board Secretary, Kristin Scott, Shim Lacy - Board President and Amanda Durbin - Board Vice President. The show’s theme was “Let Your Light Shine” and the bootcamp held the week prior touched on various character building activities in the areas of kindness, caring, integrity, imagination, resilience, and courage..
The Manteca Scholarship Competition is a reimagining of the original Miss Manteca Pageant that started back in 1968 with the crowning of Karla Bishop as the first Miss Manteca by the Manteca Chamber of Commerce. In 1994, Manteca Youth Focus was created by former Miss Manteca director, Carol Suarez, and Lacy, a former Miss Manteca 4th of July 1990.
They took over the reins from the Manteca 4th of July Committee and transformed the former beauty pageant into a youth leadership and development program which in the last 28 years has awarded over $100,000 in educational scholarships. Contestants now compete in six phases of competition including Volunteer Service, Academic Achievement, Personality Interview, Community Advocacy Speech, Talent and On-Stage Questions. The program is open to youth between the ages of 10-20 from the greater Manteca community which includes the cities of Manteca, Lathrop & Ripon and the communities of French Camp, Weston Ranch (South Stockton) and River Islands.
MYF also offered special thank-yous to all of the volunteers & donors that helped make the event such a huge success.
*Chris & Gina Leonard, owners of Leonard Photography for providing stunning portraits of our titleholders and contestants for use in the newspaper, programs, social networking promotions, etc.
*Manteca Floral for providing gorgeous floral arrangements for our entire All-Star Team
*The Manteca-Sunrise Kiwanis Club for providing financial support and endless encouragement to the Pumpkin Fair titleholders
*The Manteca Chamber of Commerce for partnering with MYF to create an entirely new scholarship for our youth with the new Watermelon Street Faire titles.
*The staff of Cornerstone Community Church for going above and beyond to make us feel welcome in their beautiful facility
*City of Manteca & Manteca Mayor’s Committee on the Arts for providing free and discounted access to meeting facilities
“On behalf of my co-directors, Shim, Amanda & Kristin Scott and the entire Board of Directors of Manteca Youth Focus, I would like to thank our community for their continued support of MYF programs. With your support and encouragement we are truly making a difference in the lives of these young people,” shared Scott.
Additionally, the group is available to assist at community events. For more information contact Douglas Scott at (209) 612-0359) or email DScott@CornerstoneManteca.com
