THREE OAKS —Sandra Strauss spent the last year as a congenial member of the 2012 Miss Three Oaks court.
Over the next 12 months she’ll play the leading role as Miss Three Oaks.
Strauss, a 17-year-old senior at River Valley High School, was crowned Miss Three Oaks 2013 on Saturday evening, Nov. 3, in the River Valley High School Auditorium.
Strauss was crowned Miss Congeniality on the same stage last year.
“Sandra is my Congeniality and will always be my Congeniality, and I hope she has a wonderful year because she deserves it, she deserves the best,” said outgoing Miss Three Oaks Heather Rowlison. “I’m so glad I got to crown one of my best friends.”
Strauss is truly following in Rowlison’s footsteps — the 2012 queen was Miss Congeniality in the 2011 Miss Three Oaks court.
Having been there to support Rowlison during the 2012 Miss Blossomtime Pageant and related activities such as the Farm Tour, the Coronation Ball and the Blessing of the Blossoms, Strauss has a pretty good idea of what’s in store for 2013.
“I’m looking forward to all the parades and spending time with the girls and the court and Blossomtime — I’m so excited for that, it’s going to be a blast! … I got to see Heather go through it last year and I can’t wait to experience it myself,” she said.
Joining Strauss in this year’s Miss Three Oaks court are First Runner-up Hannah Ward, Second Runner-up Mackinzie Harrington, and Miss Congeniality Sarah Bardusk.
During the Nov. 3 pageant members of the 2012 court, especially Mr. Three Oaks Nicholas Pillow and his runner-up, Jimmy Mullen, reminisced about an ongoing inside joke involving Strauss being told she wasn’t congenial enough. During his farewell, speech, Pillow admitted that this was, of course, 180 degrees from the truth.
“I know I joke around and say ‘You’re not congenial’ … but we all know you’re Miss Congeniality through and through,” he said.
Strauss wasn’t there to hear Pillow’s message, however. She was backstage with the other seven contestants for this year’s crowns awaiting the pageant’s penultimate moment.
A new set of kings also began their reigns on Saturday.
Ethan Zeiger was crowned Mr. Three Oaks 2013 while Zac Frederickson was the choice as first runner-up.
“It was so much fun, mostly just getting to meet everybody and hanging out with everybody. It was the most fun I’ve had in a while,” said Zeiger. “Zac is one of my best friends in the world so it’s going to be fun.”
Both will compete for the title of Mr. Blossomtime on March 10, 2013, in the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center. The Miss Blossomtime Pageant is scheduled the following evening.
Strauss is the daughter of Autumn and Rick Strauss of Three Oaks. During the “Funny Girl”-themed pageant’s formal presentations, the 5-foot, 4-inch blue-eyed blonde wore a white one-shoulder dress with a slit in the right leg, a cut out back and a long train adorned with mirrored gems and feathers.
Her younger sister, Samantha, was Little Miss Three Oaks 2010 and earlier in the day became a member of the 2013 Miss Teen Three Oaks court.
Sandra’s activities include dance, softball, cheerleading, band color guard, Spanish Club, volunteer vacation Bible school teacher, and Student Congress. Her achievements include All “A” Honor Roll, first place in a Business Professionals of America regional competition, and serving as head of student activities.
Sandra plans to attend college and major in pediatric nursing with a double minor in business and psychology.
Hannah Ward, a 17-year-old senior at New Buffalo High School, is the daughter of Kenneth and Stacey Ward of Three Oaks. Her activities include Spanish National Honor Society, National Honor Society, volleyball and showing horses. She plans to attend a four-year university to become a marine biologist.
Ward said she’s looking forward to supporting Strauss at the Blossomtime Pageant and “all the parades and being involved in the community.”
Mackinzie Harrington, a 17-year-old junior at New Buffalo High School, is the daughter of Kevin and Cathy Harrington of Three Oaks. Her activities include National Honor Society, cheerleading and performing in musicals. She plans to attend college and study to be an obstretrician.
“I’m looking forward to going places I’ve never been before and spending a lot of time with my court. I just can’t wait to get to know them better,” Harrington said.
Sarah Bardusk, an 18-year-old senior at New Buffalo High School, is the daughter of Janice and Joseph Bardusk of Three Oaks. Her activities include serving as Class President, Big Brothers Big Sisters, New Buffalo Missions Team, track and field, National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society, Students Against Destructive Decisions and Student Senate. She plans to attend Marquette University or DePaul University to double major in psychology and Spanish.
“It means a lot that the girls thought so much of me to vote me Miss Congeniality. I’m really, really honored that they did that,” Bardusk said.
Ethan Zeiger, a 17-year-old senior at River Valley High School, is the son of Rich and Shelley Zeiger of Three Oaks.
Zeiger, who also is the reigning Berrien County Youth Fair king, plans to take a short-term mission trip to Hungary to assist his aunt in her Operation Mobilization Ministry after high school graduation. He then is slated to join the active-duty military and serve as a cavalry scout or engineer. After completing basic training and tech school, Zeiger hopes to enroll in college part-time while serving in the military.
His activities include football, baseball, farm work, the River Valley Wranglers 4-H Club and church youth group.
Zac Frederickson, an 18-year-old senior at River Valley High School, is the son of Karen Frederickson. His activities include football, basketball, baseball and Drama Club. He plans to focus on business management and culinary studies in college with the goal of someday owning his own restaurant.
Strauss also was honored for selling the most tickets and program ads for the pageant. The People’s Choice Award went to Harrington.
Each candidate performed a commercial skit for a city during the event, and Zeiger was deemed the winner for his promotion of Phladelphia involving an Eagles fan devouring a Phillie cheese steak sandwich.
Also participating in the Nov. 3 pageant were Miss Three Oaks contestants Sydney Evans, Alicia Holub, Makailey Lang and Brooklynn McLaughlin and Mr. Three Oaks contestants BJ Clark and Dakota Lambert.
Judges for the Miss and Mr. Three Oaks Pageant were Diana Burge, Barry Borst and Emily Webster. Handling emcee duties were Zack East and Brittney DeRuiter.
“My year as Miss Three Oaks was something I never would have expected,” Rowlison said during her farewell speech. “I never expected it to change my life and make me a better person today,” she said. “When I was 6 years old I went to my first Miss Three Oaks Pageant and I saw her get crowned. That wasn’t the last time I saw her. I saw her at parades and I saw her around my community and she was doing things that helped others. And I realized at that moment, that’s when I wanted to become Miss Three Oaks.”
Also participating in the Nov. 3 pageant were 2012 First Runner-up Kori Kauffman and Second Runner-up Macy Koziel.
Miss Teen, Little Miss crowned
Earlier in the day on Nov. 3 a new Little Miss Three Oaks and Miss Teen Three Oaks, along with their respective courts, were crowned.
Little Miss Three Oaks 2013 is Alexis Walton (a Three Oaks Elementary third-grader and the daugher of Tony and JJ Taylor).
“It’s really fun winning queen.” the 8-year-old said.
Alexis said she’s looking forward to seeing “a bunch of other people win and have as much fun as I did” at the many pageants she’ll get to attend as Little Miss Three Oaks.
Her court consists of First Runner-Up Allyson Rochefort (a fifth-grader at Three Oaks Elementary and the daughter of Erick and Amy Rochefort), and Second Runner-up Veronica Sellin (a fourth-grader at Buchanan Elementary and the daughter of Brian and Cary Sellin).
Miss Teen Three Oaks 2013 Madelynne Keller is the daughter of Roger and Mary Keller.
Madelynne said she was “really surprised” when the crowning moment arrived.
“These girls are just amazing, I love them,” she added.
An eighth-grader at F.C. Reed Middle School in Bridgman, Madelynne’s favorite activities include travel softball (Madelynne noted during the pageant that she’s a catcher for the Pirates), volleyball, basketball and soccer. Her favorite subjects in school are algebra and Spanish. Her past titles were Princess Mini Bee in second grade and LIttle Miss Three Oaks two years ago.
Keller is joined in the royal court by First Runner-Up Teya Haughey (the daughter of James and Jody Haughey who is in the seventh grade at River Valley Middle School) and Second Runner-Up Samantha Strauss (the daughter of Rick and Autumn Strauss, she’s a ninth-grader at River Valley High School).
Also participating in the pageant were contestants (Little Miss Three Oaks) Caitlin Taylor, Delayna Morrow, Kathleen Sellin, Mary Becvar, Madison Schrader, Dayna Schumm, Destiny Renbarger, Katie Lambert and Lexie Danks; (Miss Teen Three Oaks) Ashley Jones, Paige Barbour and MacKenzie Bronson.
Rowlison and Kauffman com-emceed the daytime pageant while Pillow and Mullen served as pages.
Judges were (Little Miss) Beth Klug, Missy Emery and Kyra Heit; (Miss Teen) Reinaldo Triplett, Susan Bowman and Angela Gross.
The 2012 queens are Little Miss Three Oaks Emma Springer and Miss Teen Three Oaks Lexi Olson.
