Westview High grad to compete for Miss America title
Competing to be Miss America next January will be Arianna Asfar, a Rancho Penasquitos resident who has been in the national spotlight before.
Asfar was crowned Miss California 2010 on July 10 in Fresno.
“I was completely shocked and not expecting anything,” Asfar said.
Her last turn in front of a national audience was early last year, when she made the top 35 during the eighth season of American Idol. That was the same season another contestant with Rancho Penasquitos roots — Adam Lambert — was runner-up in the singing contest.
The 18-year-old daughter of Karin Schumacher and Muhummad Asfar has called Rancho Penasquitos home since she was in first grade at Canyon View. She later attended Mesa Verde Middle School and graduated from Westview High.
She just completed her freshman year at the University of California, Los Angeles, where the aspiring singer and actress wants to major in music and minor in mathematics.
Asfar said achieving her academic goals will take a little longer since she will have to be a part-time student due to her Miss California schedule.
“Her duties … (are) to be a representative of her generation, using her stature to address community service matters and other contemporary issues which are of particular relevance to young Americans and to women,” said Chelle Hyde, Miss California business/tour manager.
“She will partner with many corporate sponsors to raise funds for civic and charitable organizations and to make her year one of service and inspiration,” Hyde said.
If Asfar is crowned Miss America on Jan. 15, she will have to take a year off from college since throughout her reign the national titleholder is in a different city every 72 hours, Asfar said.
But the delay is worth the experience and scholarship money she won now and in the past, she said. This year she received more than $11,000 between the Miss San Diego County and Miss California pageants. At age 13, as Miss California’s Outstanding Teen 2005 and first runner-up in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen pageant, she received $25,000 in scholarships. The teen competition is a part of the Miss America pageant system.
While she competed in other pageants since childhood, Asfar said the Miss America system in particular has helped her “grow as an individual in so many different aspects.” These included confidence when giving a speech, poise and talent.
According to the state pageant’s website, the 56 contestants, ages 18-24, were judged on private interview (25 percent of score), talent (35 percent), lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit (15 percent), on-stage question (5 percent) and evening wear (20 percent).
But despite her ongoing connection to the pageant since age 13 — she has continued her adopt a grand-friend platform started during her first statewide reign, attended pageants to support other contestants and once served as a judge — Asfar said she did not start dreaming about the possibility of being crowned Miss America until this month’s win.
“I did not think it could be a reality,” Asfar said. “I’m dumbfounded that this is feasible and am completely shocked by the opportunity.”
Asfar has a team of volunteers helping her prepare for the next pageant. They advise her on all aspects, including attire and talent.
For the local pageant, Asfar said she sang “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. At the state pageant, she chose “I Surrender” by Celine Dion.
The singer since age 7 said she prefers “jazzy pop” songs.
“We have 90 seconds to show off our talent, which is difficult when you want to try to show your voice (range) as much as possible,” she said.
Asfar said it is “awesome” that those who have known her growing up have been “so excited and supportive.” However, her biggest supporters, and those she credits with her success, have been her parents.
“I want to thank my parents because I would not halfway be where I am (now) without them,” Asfar said. “I cannot ask for better parents.”
Miss America 2011 will be crowned when the Jan. 15 pageant is aired from Las Vegas on ABC television stations.
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