New Miss Poway, court crowned at pageant

The 53rd annual Miss Poway Scholarship Pageant on April 4 saw the crowning of three new queens — none of whom are from Poway.

Claiming the title of Miss Poway is 18-year-old Stacy Walden, a Rancho Penasquitos resident who is a senior at Westview High School. Her first princess is Anneke Roy and her second princess is Kelly Cota, who was Miss Teen Poway in 2013.

This year’s Miss Teen Poway is 15-year-old 4S Ranch resident Jackie Petescia, a freshman at Del Norte High School. Her first princess is Juliana Riley and her second princess is Ashley Songer.

Miss Jr. Teen Poway for 2015 is Evelyne Eng, a 14-year old Carmel Mountain Ranch resident who is a freshman at Rancho Bernardo High School. Her first princess is Silvia Roy and her second princess is Bella Franchina.

“It’s very thrilling (to win Miss Poway),” said Walden. This is Walden and Eng’s first-ever pageants; Petescia has competed in seven previous pageants, including running for Miss Jr. Teen Poway in 2014. “I didn’t go into (the pageant) thinking I would win. I was very nervous. I just wanted the experience, so it’s very exciting to have won.”

Eng said she also had no idea she would win. “It’s like a dream,” said Eng.

Petescia said she was “in shock” that she won. “It’s amazing, I was in shock. I’m so proud of myself, I put so much time and effort into this. I worked so hard.”

Their first official event as Poway’s queens will be a clean-up of the empty lot on Poway Road that used to house the Wendy’s prior to the fire that destroyed it.

Walden said her favorite experience during the pageant was everything she learned for her future. “I loved learning the whole process,” she said. “How to put myself out there, how to speak to people, how to handle a job interview. You really learn how to put yourself out there. It made me more confident and bold, to go out and try these things.”

A long time softball player, Walden said she really wasn’t expecting to win when she signed up for the pageant. “I’ve played softball my whole life, so (the pageant) is a new thing I’ve done, but I’ve always been pretty confident. I learned from my family to be proud of what you have. If I didn’t win, it wasn’t going to be the end of the world.” Walden is the co-captain of the varsity softball team at Westview High School.

Walden said she was looking forward to working with the younger girls in the court, as well as getting out into the community. “I’m going to have lots of opportunities to work with the community, and let Poway know who I am,” Walden said. “I’m looking forward to working with the (Poway City Council), going to meetings and have someone hear what I want to say. It’s a pretty cool opportunity for a girl my age.”

Though she’s from Rancho Penasquitos, Walden said she has a connection to Poway. “I used to live in Poway,” she said, “and I’ve always been very close to Poway. I played rec softball there. It’s a great little community that I love to visit. I’ve always found my way back to Poway and I have a lot of friends who live there.”

Walden said she plans to attend San Diego State University and study kinesthesiology after she graduates this year, with the plan to become a PE teacher, an athletic trainer or a personal trainer.

When she isn’t playing softball, Walden said she is highly involved with her school’s Fight Against Hunger Club, and also teaches at Vacation Bible School, as well as working with the non-profit organization Coffee 4 Kids at Penasquitos Lutheran Church. “I like to keep busy,” said Walden.