Miss Rancho Bernardo pageant opens to some Poway residents

By Elizabeth Marie Himchak

Eligibility to enter the Miss Rancho Bernardo scholarship pageants has expanded since Poway residents who attend Rancho Bernardo or Del Norte high schools may compete.

There will be a mandatory orientation meeting for Miss Rancho Bernardo and Miss Rancho Bernardo Teen contestants from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 6 in the Rancho Bernardo Inn, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive. The April 21 pageant will also be held at RB Inn.

Pageant Director Lynn Ross said she made the eligibility change in response to the Miss Poway pageant opening its Miss and Teen contests to all teenage girls attending a Poway Unified School District school because when restricted to Poway residents it had difficulty recruiting contestants. A couple of Rancho Bernardo girls have entered next month’s pageant, along with several from Rancho Penasquitos.

Ross said she has faced the same recruitment problem. In past years she turned away a few RB High students who expressed interest because they lived in Poway and the RB contests were only open to those living within the 92127 and 92128 ZIP codes.

The two ZIP codes cover Rancho Bernardo, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Sabre Springs, 4S Ranch, Del Sur, Santaluz and Santa Fe Valley.

All contestants must be U.S. citizens, ages 14 to 21 as of Jan. 1, attend RB or Del Norte high schools or live within the 92127 or 92128 ZIP codes, be enrolled in continuing education or be a full-time high school student, maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and have good moral character. The latter is defined as “single, never been married, no children, no convictions/crimes (and) never appeared and/or posed nude in pictures.”

Miss RB candidates are ages 17 to 21, while Miss RB Teen candidates are 14 to 16.

Contestants must provide evidence of U.S. citizenship; their driver’s license, state ID or report card to prove address; their most recent transcript and write a 300- to 500-word essay on why they are interested in becoming Miss RB/Miss RB Teen.

A panel of judges will award points for personal interview, impromptu question, poise and personality, business and/or evening attire and speech. In addition to the two titles, awards will be presented to the contestants at each level with the highest GPA and best speech.

Each titleholder will become eligible for a $1,000 scholarship at the end of her year-long reign if participation requirements are fulfilled. In addition each will receive a pendant, crown, banner, glass trophy, hair and makeup session, photo shoot, Zed Cards and prize basket.

The titleholders participate in community events along with sponsoring organizations’ events and community service opportunities.

The contest packet is at www.missranchobernardo.com. For questions, contact Ross at lross@san.rr.com or 858-705-4920 (evenings prior to 9 p.m.). Contestant information sessions will be during lunch on April 2 and April 4 in the principal’s conference room at RB High, and on April 3 in the Nighthawk Center at Del Norte High.