Meet the Finalists of the 2012 Miss Taiwanese American Pageant!

2012 Miss Taiwanese American Contestants
(Photo Courtesy of Kalen Sheng of Photo Kronology)

Check out a new video to meet the fair ladies of our 2012 Miss Taiwanese American Pageant! 

2012 Miss Taiwanese American Pageant Finalists

Contestant #1 Joanna Liao

Contestant #2 Stacy Wu

Contestant #3 Tiffany Yi Tzu Chang

Contestant #4 Aura Gilham

Contestant #5 Vicki Chang

Contestant #6 Dana Kung

Contestant #7 Deborah Dee Lu

Contestant #8 Lilian Chen

Contestant #9 Trina Peng 

Contestant #10 Hilary Kao

Contestant #11 Renee Lee

Contestant #12 Tiffany Cheng

Contestant #13 Annie Lee

Contestant #14 Julia Tsai

2012 Miss Taiwanese American 台美小姐選拔賽, 由大洛杉磯台灣會館主辦, 入圍佳麗7月21日首度記者會, 公開亮相, 37位報名, 初選晋級14位, 將參加8月4日洛杉磯的聖蓋博希爾頓大飯店的決賽盛會, 由於佳麗素質學識皆高, 最後誰能艷冠群芳, 奪下后冠及獎金, 令人期待。

The pageant night is just a week away now on Saturday, August 4th, 2012 at the San Gabriel Hilton! We are so excited, & so proud of all the ladies for their achievements! ~ Catherine Yu Lin, Pageant CEO & the Pageant Committee

Miss Puerto Rico

For the record, this is about to be a really short post.

Not because we don't like Puerto Rico, but because the Junkies are still kicking themselves for not taking that immersion internship to Mexico in college.  After a zillion credits in Spanish Language and too many years later, we are seriously inept at doing the adequate amount research on a contestant because everything we find is in Spanish!  Including Facebook pages!  Who knew Miss Puerto Rico and this blog would be yet another reason why we should've given up Christmas vacation???  Ugh!  But I digress...

Here's Laura Ramierez, Miss Puerto Rico 2011... isn't she lovely?

Puerto Rico has an outstanding Miss Universe track record and lots of girls know how to look glamorous!  If Miss America can tap into some of those contestants who are interested in the scholarship opportunities offered by MAO, they'll be in great shape!

Miss Puerto Rico History:  Miss Puerto Rico returned to Miss America in 2010 - after nearly a 50 year hiatus!  Mimi Pabon won Swimsuit in 10, but nothing else of note.

Best Junkie Research Tool: The Miss America Website has all the contestants here...

Who To Watch:  Ummm.... we have no idea.  Based on our research, it appears that all 14 of the contests are brand new this year.. which doesn't give us much to go on.  Admittedly, we're really stretching it here... but if you gotta take a shot in the dark, here's who we're picking..

Kiara Liz Medina - She's on Twitter, has a Facebook page for her local pageant and she's a Flamenco Dancer

Valerie Trinidad - Former Miss Kissimmee Florida Latina competed at Miss Florida Latina, Jazz Dancer

Amanda Morel - Martial Arts Talent

Gonna be just as surprised as you are when we crown Miss Puerto Rico tonight! :)  Junkie Love!!! :)

MAJ

Miss Kentucky

Ann Blair Thornton, Miss Kentucky 2011 did Kentucky proud by bringing home this year's Quality of Life award from Miss America.  And while I desperately wish they'd come up with a better name for this award (as evidenced in this blog we posted back in January), I can't argue with the 'heart' of the award.  Ann Blair lived her platform every day and as she shares, her 'platform journey' and her 'pageant journey' go hand in hand...

If you didn't get the chance to see Ann Blair's finalist video for the QoL, check it out here!  We LOVED the "little reminder" she reveals near the end of this video regarding so many important people she met throughout her journey with her platform.

Here's wishing Ann Blair all the best in the future!

Miss Kentucky History:  The one and only Heather French, Miss America 2000 is the only Miss America from Kentucky.

Best Junkie Research Tool:  You can still vote for your favorite contestant at the Miss Kentucky Website and see each contestant's pertinent information right here...

Who to Watch:  
Jeffra Bland - KY Teen USA 09 & 4th runner up at Teen USA, 3rd runner up in 10, 2nd runner up in 11

Jenna Day - 1st runner up in 11, Prelim Talent winner, poli-sci major, Top 10 at Miss Sweetheart

Ashley Ferry - Miss KYOT 08, 4th runner up in 11

Annie Franklin - 4th runner up in 10, Top 10 last year, daughter of Miss KY 88

Olivia Henken - Semifinalist in '11, lead singer in a band, already has a couple of albums produced

Ramsey Carpenter - Non-Finalist Talent and Non-Finalist Interview in '11

Person of Interest! Melissa Cox is the sister of the new Miss Indiana 2012, Merriebeth Cox!  They're both Baton Twirlers and both adorable blondes!  We've seen lots of sisters compete in the same year at the same state pageant, but different states are certainly more rare!

All the Best to Miss Kentucky!  Good Luck to Everyone in the Bluegrass State!!! :)

MAJ

Miss Arkansas

Kristen Glover, Miss Arkansas 2011 wins the 'Super Smarty Sexy Scientist' award of this year's class.  The girl graduated Magna Cume Laude from Ouachita Baptist University with a degree in Chemistry (For the record, the last time the Junkies even took a Chemistry Class was at the age of 16!).  Her future plans include Pharmacy School at the University of Arkansas... like we said, Super Smarty Pants! :) 

There were scores of photos of Ms. Glover which were Fabulous...

 

Here's hoping Kristen's future lab partner at least has a clue and appreciates who he/she's been paired up with this fall!!! :)  

Kristen was a Quality of Life Finalist Award winner at Miss America this year for her platform called, "Second Chances through Mentoring".  If you've seen her Facebook page or her blog (check it out here) you know her year hasn't been about photos - it's been about the kids.  She's a great role model and has a strong future ahead of her! :)

Miss Arkansas History: Two Miss Americas hail from the state of Arkansas... Donna Axum in 64 and Elizabeth Ward in 82.

Best Junkie Research Tool:  All the contestants are listed along with their prelim competition groups which you can see here for yourself! :)

Items to Note:  From our perspective, this year's pageant seems to have 3 categories:

1. No Brainers

2. Newbies

3. You Never Know... 

Who to Watch = No Brainers:

Simone Mullinax - 2nd runner up in 11, 1st runner up in 10, won Miss Sweetheart last year

Sloane Roberts - 4th runner up in 11, AR OT in 08 and 2nd runner up at MAOT 08

Sommer Allen - 4th runner up in 10, 3rd runner up in 11

Morgan Holt - Semi-Finalist in 09 and 10, AR OT in 07

Who to Watch = Newbies:

Caitlyn Cook - we're pretty sure she can sing and has a great headshot

Mary Lacey Thompson - musical theater major, inside scoop says she's 'a super sweet Southern girl'

Who to Watch = You Never Know:

Rosalyn Taylor - Top 15 in 11, won every category at her local

Helen Winser - Prelim Evening Gown and Prelim Swimsuit Winner in '11

Helen Billingsley - Prelim Evening Gown Winner in 11

Prelims Begin on Wednesday!  Junkies Love Miss Arkansas!!! :)

MAJ

 

 

 

August 4th Pageant Night Tickets Are On Sale!!

2012 Miss Taiwanese American Contestants 
(Photo Courtesy of Peter Phan)

The Miss Taiwanese American (MTA) Pageant (台美小姐選拔 ) is an annual competition by Taiwan Center Foundation of Greater Los Angeles (大洛杉磯台灣會館基金會). In this pageant, a select group of young Taiwanese American ladies are chosen as finalists to compete for the title of Miss Taiwanese American Queen. For the upcoming 2012 Miss Taiwanese American Pageant, 14 young Taiwanese American ladies have been chosen as finalists to compete for the title of Miss Taiwanese American. By the night of the pageant, they will have spent 5 weeks preparing for this spectacular event where they will have learned techniques on self-presentation as well as the history and current affairs surrounding the Taiwanese American community. Come cheer and support your contestant! Check-in Time 5:30 PM Dinner 6:00 PM There are 3 types of tickets:  (1) REGULAR ADMISSION (light pink colored tickets) = $80 with 1 vote for 1 contestant, and $800 for a table of 10 seats (2) ONE VIP ADMISSION (pink colored tickets) = $200 with 3 votes for 1 contestant, and $2,000 for a table of 10 seats (3) TWO VIP ADMISSIONS (purple colored tickets) = $300 with 5 votes for 1 contestant, and $1,500 for a table of 10 seats *** To purchase tickets for the August 4th Pageant Night, please mail or hand-deliver a check payable to Taiwan Center at 3001 Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770. Then in the memo, please write "MTA Pageant Tickets" and have your phone number written on the check so that we contact you to confirm your order. So don't wait until last minute to get your tickets! Tickets may run out by pageant night !! Contact Taiwan Center at (626) 307-4881 for tickets, advertising & sponsorship. We look forward to seeing you on August 4th!! :) It's going to be a GREAT production!! ;D MTA Pageant Committee Taiwan Center Foundation for Greater Los Angeles WEBSITE: http://misstaiwaneseamerican.blogspot.com/ E-MAIL: taiwancenter0@gmail.com

Miss South Carolina

Bree Boyce was pretty darn impressive as Miss South Carolina 2011...

Besides gracing the covers of People Magazine and being featured in Southern Living, she was also a guest on The View, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Extra and other programs.  Truthfully, Bree received more on-camera promotion and publicity than a few of our own Miss Americas have!  And let's face it - if you weighed 234 pounds, wore size 18 jeans and you lost 112 pounds to compete at Miss America, I'd put you on the cover of "Junkie~Love" Magazine too (ummm - don't steal that idea, we may just have to do that!)!  Bree stated in a recent interview that she's headed to Hollywood a couple of weeks after Miss South Carolina... No doubt we haven't seen the end of her yet!

 

We hope she has this photo framed somewhere right next to the one where she's holding her size 18 jeans!  Bree's Top 13 finish at Miss America just goes to prove you can do ANYTHING you want if you work hard and set your mind to it! :)

Miss South Carolina History:  Miss SC has had 2 Miss Americas... Marion McNight in 57 and Kimberly Aiken in 94.

Best Junkie Research Tool:  OMG!  More Videos!!!  Check out this link... You'll be connected to the Miss South Carolina YouTube Channel... only trouble is, they have the Teen videos alongside the Miss Videos, and there's a total of 101 contestants between both programs!  WOW!  You can also see contestant groupings and headshots here at the Miss South Carolina website...

Items to Note: Ummm... this is crazy... but 37 out of 48 contestants are NEW to the Miss South Carolina stage!!!  Do you know how hard it is to do Junkie-Quality Research on 48 girls, let alone checking out the best of 37 rookies???  Especially since we have little-to-no-clue about anyone's Talent!?!  Crazy I tell you!  Do yourself a favor and leave it to the experts!  Don't try this at home! :)

Who to Watch:

Lauren Cabaniss - 3rd runner up and prelim swimsuit winner in 11

Ali Rogers - Miss SCOT 09, 1st time at Miss SC

Summer Rayl - SC National Teenager in 05, 4th time at Miss SC, poli-sci major

Others to Watch:

Mika Friday 

Meagan Garner

Courtney Mauldin

Currie Dickerson

Lustra Miller

Prelims begin Tuesday Night!  Junkie~Love to the Palmetto State!!! :)

MAJ

Happy 4th of July from the Miss Taiwanese American court!

2012 MTA Court Participates in the City of Rosemead's July 4th Parade

From left to right: 1st Princess, Sarah Ho, 2nd Princess Maggie Jan, 5th Princess Ariel Chao,
Ambassador Pricella Jah, & 4th Princess Nikki DePaola

Princess Maggie Jan & Princess Ariel Chao