Seventeen vie for title of Miss Sparta

SPARTA — This year’s Miss Sparta event will take place on June 12, starting at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Lake Mohawk Country Club. There is no talent portion for this contest. The girls will be judged on community/school involvement, appearance, poise and confidence, personal interview with each judge held privately, and public speaking. Three out-of-town judges (with no connection to any of the contestants) will make the decision. The winner will advance to Queen of the Fair at the Sussex County Fair and NJ Farm and Horse Show in Augusta, on Aug. 6. Miss Sparta 2010, Samantha Guigliano, also Sparta High School 2010 Valedictorian, will not be available for the event so Molly Gilson, last year’s first runner-up will pass the title on to this years winner. In addition to the pageant, the event on June 12 will feature cash bar, refreshments, light fare and performances by local talent including Geoff Doubleday. Tickets are $15 and are available at Ailsih Alpine Paint Store on Woodport Road or at the door. Miss Sparta has a facebook page for those who wish to follow the pageant it is titled Miss Sparta Pageant. Here is a short list of each candidate, listed in alphabetical order: Heather Conway Heather Conway, 18, is currently a senior at Sparta High School. She is a PDP leader and a member of the National Honor Society and both the Spanish and Latin Language National Honor Societies. She has been involved in athletics through the school and through the town by being captain of Sparta High School’s Varsity cheerleading team and a member of the high school’s lacrosse team. Heather has also trained for 12 years at East West Karate Academy, earning the rank of black belt. She enjoys mentoring younger members of the community by being a volunteer cheerleading coach, a certified lacrosse coach, and an assistant instructor at East West. In addition, Heather is an active member of the Blessed Kateri community and volunteers much of her time to the youth ministries of the parish. Heather plans on majoring in biology and minoring in Spanish on a pre-medical track at the Pennoni Honors College at Drexel University. Heather is the daughter of Sandra and Kevin Conway. Juliana DeBitetto Juliana DeBitetto is an 18-year-old senior at Sparta High School. She is a member of GSA, habitat for humanity, PDP, Pass It Along, and National Honor Society. Juliana is captain of the girls Varsity Lacrosse team at Sparta High School. Juliana works at Camp Iliff and is also a camp counselor at Willow Lake Day Camp in the summer. In her free time she enjoys spending time outside and with her family and friends. In the fall, she is studying biology and secondary education at the University of Maryland. Juliana is the daughter of Nick and Leah DeBitetto. Meg Dmuchowski Meg Dmuchowski, 18, is a senior at Sparta High School. Meg is a member of Antioch, PDP,National Honor Society, and Pass it Along. She is the captain for Sparta’s Field Hockey, Swimming, and Lacrosse Team. In the summer she is a lifeguard and swim instructor at Lake Mohawk. In the fall Meg is attending the University of Rhode Island. Meg is the daughter of John and Dot Dmuchowski. Jenna Dowd Jenna Dowd, 18, is a graduating senior at Sparta High School. She is an active member of Pass it Along, and has been involved in their Service Corps program for two years, where volunteers pledge to dedicate 100 to 300 hours of service per year. She is a mentor for the program You’ve got a Friend and a leader of the club Girl Power! at Sparta Middle School. Jenna is also a dedicated leader of the Antioch retreat team at Blessed Kateri, and has been a part of a Relay for Life team for five years. In school, Jenna is the secretary of National Honor Society, a Peer Development Program Leader, and a member of DECA, for which she has received several awards during professional selling competitions. In her spare time, Jenna enjoys writing, going on day trips with friends and working her part-time job at Rita’s. Jenna will be pursuing a degree in marketing at Penn State University this fall, where she will participate in a leadership program for elite business students. Jenna is the daughter of Chris and Mary Ann Dowd, and has two sisters, Jessica and Jackie Dowd. Cassandra Fell Cassandra Fell, 18, graduated from Sparta High School as a junior in 2010. She is currently attending Artistic Academy for her cosmetologist license. Cassandra plans on studying business at Adelphi University in the fall of 2011, with the hope of owning her own salon one day. Her athletic accomplishments include, cheerleading for Sparta since flag football and becoming an all-star cheerleader for Titan Elite. She also voluntarily coached flag football for four years. Cassandra enjoys using her talent and passion for hairstyling to make people look and feel better about themselves. She also has been working at her family-owned bookstore, Sparta Books, for the past four years. Cassandra is the daughter of William and Donna Fell. Katharine Fredricksen Katharine Fredricksen, 18, is currently a senior at Sparta High School. She is a member of the Peer Development Program, National Honor Society, STAND, and GSA. She also teaches Sunday school at her church. Katharine is on the lacrosse team and loves working with the younger lacrosse programs. She loves to travel and plans to continue in the future. Katharine will be attending Elon University in the fall to study history. Katharine is the daughter of Rich and Dianne Fredricksen. Kailee Gori Kailee Gori, 18, is currently a senior at Sparta High School. She is a teen leader for the non-profit organization Pass It Along and a member of Habitat for Humanity. Kailee has done hundreds of hours of volunteer work through Pass It Along while also working with other organizations such as DASI and volunteering as a cheerleading coach. Her athletic accomplishments include all-star cheerleading and lacrosse. In her spare time, Kailee enjoys drawing and painting, reading and being with her friends. Kailee plans on studying human development and family studies at the University of Rhode Island in the fall, with the hope of finding a job after college in an organization that works with domestic abuse prevention. While in college, Kailee would love to travel abroad to countries such as Africa with the purpose of doing service projects. Kailee is the daughter of Steve and Lisa Gori. Anna Gundersen Anna Gundersen, 18, is graduating from Sparta High School this year. Anna loves being with her family and friends and lives her life to the fullest. Throughout high school, Anna has been involved in the spring musical, fall drama, soccer, select choir, Pass it Along, PDP, STAND, statistics for the varsity football team, and has participated in the drama and forensics club. Next year, Anna will attend Penn State University, at University Park, where she has been accepted to study acting in their theatre program. Anna is the daughter of Steve and Lisa Gundersen. Jenna Keenan Jenna Keenan is currently a 17-year-old senior at Sparta High School. She was captain of the varsity field hockey team, a member of the varsity swim team for four years, and played softball for the high school for three years. She is an executive board member of DECA, and has competed in the regional and state competitions for the last three years, and the national competition this year. Jenna is a member of the National Honor Society and the German National Honor Society. She is a PDP and Antioch leader, and has also participated in Relay for Life, Pass It Along, Key Club, her church Youth Group, and Habitat for Humanity. Jenna’s musical abilities have allowed her to be in the school musical for two years, play the violin, viola, and piano, and also sing in the church choir. In addition to her many extracurricular activities, Jenna has been actively employed for the last three years, and currently works at the Lake Mohawk Golf Club, as a runner, and the Lake Mohawk Country Club as a lifeguard. In the fall, Jenna will be studying International Business with a concentration in marketing at Bryant University in Rhode Island. Jenna is the daughter of Mark and Lynn Keenan. Morgan Litchfield Morgan Litchfield, 18, is currently a senior at Sparta High School. She is a volunteer at Pass it Along and a member of a Relay For Life team. Her athletic accomplishments included lacrosse from fifth until tenth grade. In her spare time, Morgan enjoys being outside, going to concerts, and spending time with friends. Morgan plans on going to SCCC in the fall for a year then transferring somewhere else. Morgan is the daughter of Christine and Les Litchfield. Julia Major Julia Major, 18, is a senior at Sparta High School. She is a member of DECA and PDP. Julia Major plays on the girls Varsity Lacrosse team at Sparta High School. Julia currently works at the Upper Lake Deli. In the fall she is attending the Fashion Institute of Technology and studying Fashion Merchandising Management. Julia is the daughter of Debra and Walter Major. Adrienne Marcino Adrienne Marcino is an 18-year-old senior at Sparta High School. She is a member of DECA; placing first in the regional and state competitions in the Marketing Communications Role Play event, and won second place for a marketing research paper, taking her to the national competition in Orlando, Fla. Adrienne is also a member of PDP, an Antioch Team Leader, member of the high school band and a Bridges volunteer. Her athletic accomplishments include four years on the Sparta Girls Lacrosse Team and in the summer she also coaches the Sparta Girls lacrosse camp. Outside of school, Adrienne is working on a skin care line for young women, promoting practicing safe sun, in addition to working part time at Kumon Math and Reading Center. Adrienne is going to attend Syracuse University in the fall to pursue a dual degree in Business and Communications. She is the daughter of Dale and Charles Marcino. Kelly Phillips Kelly Phillips an 18-year-old senior at Sparta High School. She is a Russian language tutor and a volunteer at Pass It Along. Her athletic accomplishments include cheerleading and dancing. In her spare time, Kelly enjoys writing and coaching cheerleading. Kelly plans on studying literature and education at Ramapo College this fall, with the hope of returning to Sparta to be a high school English teacher. Kelly is the daughter of Neil and Barbara Phillips. Margaret Ryan Margaret Ryan is an 18-year-old senior at Sparta High School. She is a cheerleading coach for Sparta Middle School girls and a member of Pass It Along’s Service Corps. Over the course of four years, Margaret has raised over $3,000 individually for her Relay For Life team. Her athletic accomplishments include winter track, cheerleading, and lacrosse. In her spare time, Margaret enjoys volunteering at Father John’s Animal Shelter and being with friends and family. Margaret plans on studying broadcast journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder in the fall. Margaret is the daughter of Lisa and James Ryan. Krista Shugart Krista Shugart, 18, is a senior at Sparta High School. She is a member of Pass It Along’s Service Corps and has volunteered 1,135 hours of community service. Based on her service, she has received the 2010 President’s Volunteer Service Award, the 2011 Sparta High School Caring Award, and a community service scholarship to Green Mountain College. Krista founded “Knit/Crochet for a Cause” which has donated 500 handcrafted items. She has hosted four blood drives for the New Jersey Blood Bank, collecting over 145 pints of blood. She has also collected 200 winter jackets for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Krista organized the first assembly Sparta High School had in ten years. It was for Invisible Children, which is an organization that uses film to end the use of child soldiers in central Africa. This summer she will be returning as a camp counselor to Braeside Camp in New York, for at-risk children. In the fall she will be attending Green Mountain College and majoring in Women’s Studies. Upon graduation Krista plans on joining AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. Krista is the daughter of Lena and Bob Shugart. Leslie Sullivan Leslie Sullivan, 18, is a senior at Sparta High School and will be a freshman at Marist College in the fall. She will be double majoring in Photojournalism and fashion merchandising. Leslie is an active member in Pass It Along and was a lead project planner in the pilot Pass It Along Store. Leslie also sits on the Youth Board of Pass It Along, as well as being a marketing youth director. For the past four years, Leslie has worked as a freelance photojournalist for Straus News. She is also involved in a co-curricular marketing education club DECA which enhances learning and builds business skills. Leslie enjoys writing, photography and fashion, as well as serving her community. Leslie is the vice president of her senior class. Leslie’s parents are Lori Price and Richard Sullivan and her younger sister is Daria Sullivan. Raquel Warehime Raquel Warehime, 17, is currently a senior at Sparta High School. She is a fun loving, outgoing, all around person. She enjoys acting, singing and dancing and hopes to one day be on Broadway. She has done several concerts and enjoys every second of being up on stage; acting out different characters and for that moment being a completely different person then herself. She also enjoys doing Bikram Yoga, the elliptical, swimming, hanging with friends, and of course helping those less fortunate. She has participated in many charities throughout the year such as Pass It Along, Tillie’s Kids, bike-a-thons, many community service projects with Girl Scouts, and she helped to coordinate the Rhythm of Peace Festival for Haiti. She will soon be attending Monmouth to do a double major in psychology and performing arts. She hopes to only study at Monmouth for a year or two and then transfer into NYU to pursue her dream. Raquel is the daughter Vanaja Ananda and Duane Warehime and the sister of Kyle Warehime.