Eight seniors vying for Miss Porterville

Eight high school seniors — five from Porterville High, two from Monache and one from Granite Hills — are vying for the dual title of V2012 eterans Homecoming Queen and Miss Porterville.
In the running are Madison Rice of Granite Hills, Dayna Breland and Kameron Whitley of Monache, and Katie Edmaiston, Anna Moore, Courtney Hall, Camille Manning and Abigail Felix of Porterville High.
The queen will be crowned at the Veterans Homecoming Queen Pageant on Saturday, Oct. 20, after being judged by a panel on poise, talent, interview, overall performance and participation.
“There are 100 possible points,” said Monique Page, Veterans Homecoming Queen Pageant coordinator. “The interview is worth 35 points, a packet with a bio and an essay is worth 25 points, talent is 20 points and overall performance 10 points. In addition they can get up to 10 participation points — for being on time and prepared during rehearsals and meetings.”
One of the teens will also be voted “Miss Congeniality” by fellow contestants.
Talent presentations include singing, dancing, baton twirling, piano and a monologue.
Miss Porterville and her royal court will reign over the Veterans Day Parade, the Buck Shaffer Band-A-Rama on Nov. 12 (Veteran’s Day is being observed on Monday this year) and serve as representatives at various community events.
The pageant is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 6:30 at the Frank “Buck” Shaffer Theatre inside the Porterville Memorial Auditorium, 465 W. Olive Ave.

The Contestants at a glance:
— Madison Rice, 17, is senior class president, the solo twirler for the Granite Hills Band, a main character of winter-guard production, a varsity cheerleader and on the high school swim team. She’s Girls State representative and the publishing editor of the Grizzly Gazette online newspaper at Granite Hills High School. She also serves as the Future Farmers of America, participated in Academic Decathlon, is the project director for Rotary Interact Club and has volunteered with numerous community service projects and activities while maintaining a straight A status as she remains in the running for school valedictorian. Away from school, she has performed with the Moscow Ballet Company and Revolution Ballet Company.
Madison, daughter of Ronald Rice and Tamara Rice, will dance during the talent portion of the pageant.

— Dayna Breland has been in cheerleading for two years, choir for three and has participated with P.I.V.E.T., Rotary Interact, Chess and the Christian Club at Monache High. She is also a member of AVID, takes advanced placement classes and stays busy with her contributions to Dramatic Theater and the school’s yearbook.
Outside of school, she is involved in leadership positions with her church, New Life Center, and works at a local restaurant.
She is the 2009 Sequoia Middle School Most-optimistic individual, has participated in City on the Hill, a Christian political camp in Sacramento where she was chosen as the mock Speaker of the House, and also received the Rookie of the Year award for her enthusiasm and hard work.
Dayna, daughter of James Dana Breland and Patty Duke Breland, and sister to Dillon, will sing at the pageant.

— Kameron Whitley, 17, has been a varsity cheerleader at Monache for four years, has performed at the Staples Center, has made All-American at U.S.A. Cheer Camp, where she was offered a job to be a staff member.
Daughter of Robert Whitley and Megan Ledesma, and sister to Emily, Tyler and Daniel, Kameron will perform a dance at the pageant.

— Courtney Hall is a four-year member, including two years as Orange Blossom, of the Porterville Panther Band at Porterville High. She has also been the goalie for the eight-time East Yosemite League champion, varsity water polo team. She also plays first base for the PHS varsity softball team, is involved in student council, Link Crew, Student Councils Public Relations representative, and volunteers at numerous community activities.
She is the recipient of the Tulare County Character Counts award, Most Valuable Player award, and scholar athlete awards.
Daughter of Gregory Hall and Denise Galindo, Courtney will perform a monologue as her talent.

— Amber Katie Edmaiston is involved in cheer squad, choir and drama at Porterville High. She has also been a part of various performing arts productions and has danced with the San Francisco Ballet and The Fresno State Nutcracker. In addition, she has assisted as an intern at Deenie’s Dance Workshop.
She also volunteers at the Porterville Nazarene and in her spare time sews and donates dresses to South Africa orphanages with her grandmother.
Daughter of Amy and Ted Hernandez, and Chris Edmaiston, Amber Katie plans a lyrical dance solo to Bruno Mars’ “Today my Life Begins” as her talent piece for the pageant.

— Anna Moore plays bass guitar in the Fabulous Studio Band, xylophone in the Porterville Panther Marching Band and is an alto in Porterville’s Concert Choir. In addition, she is on the PHS varsity water polo and swim teams, vice president of Interact, vice president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and a member of California Scholarship Federation.
She has been playing the piano since age 8, has received academic awards and has attended Camp Royal Leadership Camp.
Daughter of Lee and Christine Moore, Anna will play “It’s Alright” on piano as her talent competition.

— Abigail Felix, 17, has been captain of the PHS Panther Band majorette team for three years, is on the first PHS girls soccer team to make it to the Valley Championship, is in student council, was a SCICON counselor, participated in Relay for Life and twirls with the Dazzling Dynamics.
By age 8, she was a National Champion and a two-time State Champion in baton twirling.
Daughter of Gricelda Martinez and Jose Felix, Abigail will baton twirl as her talent competition.

— Camille Manning has been in the Porterville Panther Band, choir and Academy of Health and Science for four years. She’s also in California Scholarship Federation, Interact Club, Springville 4-H, scored third in Tulare County in 2011-2012 for California Standards Test and had the lead role in the school’s drama production “Little Shop of Horrors” in 2011.
Community services include visiting residents at Porterville Convalescent Hospital and helping disabled neighbors with routine chores.
Daughter of Ken and Jan Manning, Camille will sing during the talent competition.