On Sunday evening the White Plains Performing Art Center hosted the second annual Miss Westchester and inaugural Miss Hudson Valley pageants.

Sixteen teens participated in the Miss Westchester Teen/Miss Hudson Valley Teen pageants, and twenty-one “misses” participated in the Miss Westchester/Miss Hudson Valley pageants. 

In preparation for the pageants, all participants received training in public speaking, interview techniques and marketing and business etiquette, as well as workshops in modeling, wardrobe, hair and make-up.

The three areas of competition were the swimsuit competition, in which contestants were judged on their overall commitment to physical health and life-style; the evening gown competition, where contestants were judged on poise, grace, stage presence and style; and the personal interview, in which contestants had to answer one question posed by a randomly selected judge.

Also part of the pageants were six special awards independent of the pageants’ scoring.  These were the congeniality, photogenic, style, spirit, service and people’s choice awards.

The Congeniality award recipient was judged by her peers to be the most congenial and inspirational pageant participant; the Photogenic award recipient was judged by media members for her photogenic appeal and personality projection; the Style award recipient was judged by media members for her personal style and modeling ability; the Service award recipient, selected by Executive Directors Laura Giannone and Dee van Eyck, exemplified her platform issue and demonstrated her service to others; and the People’s Choice award was given to the contestant who received the most votes from the general public.  

And the winners are…

Miss Westchester Teen    Jacqueline Groccia  Eastchester
1st Runner-Up                 Lisa Lopane             Katonah
2nd Runner-Up                Holly Roth               Armonk

Miss Congeniality       Jordan Rose Decker    Pleasantville
Miss Photogenic         Taylor Murphy            Jeffersonville
The Style Award         Jordan Rose Decker   Pleasantville
The People’s Choice   Jacqueline Groccia     Eastchester
Service Award            Joann DiBuono          Larchmont    
Spirit Award               Bianca Gallub            Rockville Centre LI

Miss Hudson Valley Teen  Bianca Gallub      Rockville Centre  LI

Miss Westchester        Sarah Hreyo             Yonkers
1st Runner-Up            Ana Leon                  Hawthorne
2nd Runner-Up           Kathleen LeBlanc      Mount Vernon

Miss Congeniality       Samantha Cocozza        Briarcliff Manor
Miss Photogenic         Jackie Swerz                 New York City
The Style Award         Kathleen LeBlanc          Mount Vernon
The People’s Choice    Ana Leon                      Hawthorne
Service Award            Alexandra Oberrotman  Rye Brook
Spirit Award               Erin Wynne                    Yonkers

Miss Hudson Valley      Megan Hernandez        Yonkers

The winners will go on to compete for the titles of Miss New York USA and Miss New York Teen USA in January, 2012, and will receive gifts and prizes including fully-paid entry fees for these upcoming competitions.