By SHIM LACY
For the Bulletin
The year 1994 saw many notable events take place; Netscape Navigator was released and quickly became the leading web browser, the US approved the sale of genetically modified foods for the first time, and the Northridge Earthquake devastated the San Fernando Valley.
Meanwhile in Manteca, Manteca Youth Focus (MYF), an award-winning non-profit organization, made its humble debut by a duo of local women sitting around a nondescript kitchen table.
Thirty years later, the program launched by former Miss Manteca director, Carol Suarez, and her past Miss Manteca 4th of July 1990, Shim Lacy, has expanded to include boys and girls ages 10-20, broadened its geographic reach, added three additional titles, and awarded nearly $150,000 in educational scholarships.
Tonight, a new Miss Manteca and Manteca City Ambassador will be crowned to lead a promising new batch of young leaders at the 2024 Manteca Youth Focus Scholarship Competition.
The competition, under the direction of MYF Vice President, Douglas Scott, will take place at 7 p.m. at Cornerstone Community Church in Manteca.
Nine outstanding young people of achievement will compete for educational scholarships and the chance to lead as captains of the MYF All-Star Student Service Team.
The modern day MYF Scholarship Competition started as the Miss Manteca beauty pageant initiated by the Manteca Chamber of Commerce in 1968 with the crowning of Karla Anderson-Bishop as the first Miss Manteca.
The chamber continued coordinating the annual pageant for two decades when they passed the program on to the Manteca 4th of July Celebration from 1987 to 1994.
It was at that time that Manteca Youth Focus was formed for the purpose of taking on the leadership of the program which has continued today.
MYF continues to honor the earlier queens, inviting them back to don their crowns and walk the stage with their “History of Excellence,” a living timeline that pays tribute to the unique leadership roles shared by these queens and titleholders.
This year, MYF will honor Yvonne (Silva) Andreeta Rodrigues, Miss Manteca 1969, who will serve as the moderator for the Communicative Skills (impromptu question) phase of on-stage competition.
A graduate of Manteca High School’s Class of 1968, Rodrigues credits the values she learned as Miss Manteca as a guiding force in her life even today, inspiring her to strive for excellence and make a
positive impact wherever she goes.
Rodrigues, a retired MUSD staff member, will be joined by her husband, Leonard, as VIPs at the show to help encourage the new batch of young leaders.
Inspired by the work of the late William R. Smethers and his non-profit Youth Focus Incorporated of San Jose. Suarez and Lacy worked together throughout the late 90s to hold fast to the wonderful traditions of the past, while reimagining the competition for a new, more modern generation.
While the crown and sash would always be a mainstay, it was during this time that what was once a beauty pageant metamorphosed into a true scholarship program.
It was a conscious decision on the part of Suarez and Lacy to remove any phases of competition relating to beauty or physical appearance.
That first year in 1994, MYF also expanded the contest to include young men, and Suarez appointed Dan Lansford, an East Union student-athlete, to serve as the first Manteca City Ambassador.
In 1995, MYF added the teen division for ages 13-15 and in 1999, added the young division for youth ages 10-12.
MYF is delighted to welcome back alumni who will join Lacy and Rodrigues for the History of Excellence and who also serve in the cast and crew of the show including current titleholders Sheen Gupta - Miss Manteca 2023 and Alyssa Dominguez – Miss Winter Fest 2023 and past titleholders Landon Wolfe - Manteca City Ambassador 2022, Molly Dua - Miss Manteca 2022, Arveen Birdi - Miss Manteca 2021, Amanda Rosas - Miss Manteca 2012, Kellie (Kotch) Mendoza - Miss Pumpkin Fair 2006, Matt Vaughan - Manteca City Ambassador 2004 and Kristina (Priest) Stamper - Miss Manteca 2001-02.
Current Manteca City Ambassador Erfan Ballew had a spectacular year of service but is unable to attend as he is currently serving at an international youth leadership conference out of state.
As stated in their mission statement, the MYF Scholarship Competitions seek to “develop young leaders through the pursuit of higher education, development of personal talents and service throughout the community.” The phases of competition were designed to reflect these values and now include Community Service and Scholastic Achievement as the highest ranking phases; the remaining phases in order of importance include, Personality Interview, Communicative Skills (aka impromptu questions onstage during mock press interview), Stage Arts and Speech.
The “pageant rehearsals” morphed into workshops in the areas of leadership development, resume-writing, interview skills, public speaking and dress for success.
The 2024 contestants have spent the last two months attending these workshops as well as a “boot camp” this week to not only prepare them for the competition but more importantly to build transferable professional and life skills that will help them succeed in the future.
The prize package now includes a $1,500 educational scholarship for Miss Manteca and Manteca City Ambassador and additional scholarships for top four placements.
All participants earn a minimum $100 scholarship regardless of their final rank in the competition. This year’s participants include:
2024 Manteca City Ambassador Candidates
*Yatharth Katyal, a 17-year old Sierra High School Senior, will be playing the guitar for Stage Arts and his Community Advocacy Project will benefit Give Every Child A Chance. He is sponsored by Deepak Katyal with Curb Realty.
*Jaden Gallego, a 17-year old East Union High School senior, will present a poetry reading for Stage Arts and his Community Advocacy Project will benefit HOPE Family Shelter and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater Valley. He is sponsored by Tyger’s Puerto Rican BBQ.
*Rohan Aravind, a 16-year old East Union High School junior, will be playing the clarinet for his Stage Arts and his Community Advocacy Project will benefit the Charles O. Palmer II Memorial Troop Support Program. He is sponsored by Leonard Photography.
2024 Miss Manteca Contestants
*Mallory Myers, a 17-year old senior at Joseph A. Gregori High School in Modesto, will be performing a monologue for Stage Arts and her Community Advocacy Project will benefit her not for profit “Precious in His Sight”;. She is sponsored by Jeff Zellner w/Manteca Insurance & Financial Services.
*Elizabeth Neuner, a 17-year old senior at Sierra High School, will be presenting a poetry reading for Stage Arts and her Community Advocacy Project will benefit Agape Villages Foster Family Agency.
*Juelicia Roman, a 17-year old East Union High School senior, will be presenting a poetry reading for her Stage Arts demonstration. Her Community Advocacy Project will benefit the City of Manteca Recreation and Community Services Department. She is sponsored by Romans Steam Cleaning.
*Saige Carstersena, a 16-year old senior at Venture Academy in Stockton, will be performing an acro jazz dance for Stage Arts and her Community Advocacy Project will benefit Happy Pet Owners. She is sponsored by the Carstersen Family.
*Sophia Costa, a 17-year old senior at Ripon Christian High School, will be performing a self-written spoken word for Stage Arts. Her Community Advocacy Project will benefit Crossroads Grace Community Church “Night to Shine” Special Needs Formal Dance. She is sponsored by Nadean Costa and Perry & Sons Market.
*Kylie Anderson, a 15-year old junior at Manteca High School. Kylie will be performing a baton-twirling routine for her Stage Arts demonstration. Her Community Advocacy Project will benefit Scottish Rite’s “Care Childhood Language Center” of Stockton. She is sponsored by Walden Meadows South Lake Tahoe Vacation Home.
Each year, Miss Manteca, the Manteca City Ambassador and their fellow MYF All-Star Student Service Team members also contribute hundreds of hours of volunteer service at signature events around the city including Manteca 4th of July Parade, National Night Out Celebration, Manteca Pumpkin Fair, Manteca Twilight Holiday Parade, Great Valley BookFest, City of Manteca Christmas at the Center, Hospice of San Joaquin Tree of Lights, and Manteca Crossroads Watermelon Street Faire.
They also support local businesses by attending numerous mixers and coffees hosted by the Manteca Chamber of Commerce. Since 2008 with the addition of the MYF Community Advocacy Project program, the youth also collaborate to aid their fellow service team members with their individual projects which have contributed thousands of volunteer hours and fundraising efforts for numerous charitable organizations.
MYF programs now include the aforementioned annual scholarship competitions for ages 10-20, the year-round All-Star Student Service Team for youth ages of 9-21, and recreational “prince and princess” fundraiser program for children ages 9 and under.
MYF programs are open to residents from the greater Manteca community which includes the cities of Manteca, Ripon, Lathrop and the communities of River Islands, French Camp, and Weston Ranch (South Stockton).
For more information on MYF programs email MantecaYouthFocus@gmail.com or visit www.MantecaYouthFocus.org.
