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On April 27, Kaitlin Morgan was awarded the title of Tehachapi’s Junior Miss 2008 at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center before a crowd of nearly 700 audience members. This year’s 28 contestants, all juniors in high school, entertained audience members with a five-hour “Passport to the World” through music, dance and delightful displays of their own unique talents.

The contestants spent two months rehearsing and preparing to compete in categories including physical fitness, poise and scholastic achievement.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Kaitlin about the moment she heard her own named announced as winner of the 2008 Junior Miss title. “I felt like my hard work finally paid off.”

Kaitlin is no stranger to hard work, said Kathy Morgan, Kaitlin’s mom.
“Something I think a lot don’t know about Kaitlin is that she couldn’t speak until she was 4-years-old. She communicated by sign language and was told she’d be in special ed all her life. She’s just a hard worker.”

Kaitlin has never stopped working to overcome her challenges, also taking this year’s top scholarship honor. She plans to attend Cal State Fresno after graduation and hopes to get her teaching credential — in history.

“I like that we can learn from our mistakes in the past. I think we can really learn something from history and I’d like to teach it,” she said.

Kaitlin said that although each of the girls hoped to win the title, the Junior Miss experience was really about friendship and working together to be your best.
“I made friends with people I never really knew I could be friends with. And reconnected with old friendships,” she said adding, “it gave all the girls an extra bond with each other.”

Some of those friends included runners up McKenna Ramiro, who placed first in the self expression category, and Kelly Phillips, who danced her way into second position in the talent category with an energetic jazz number.

The girls spent the past two months mastering the show’s on-stage “world tour” of dance routines for what Tehachapi’s Junior Miss Coordinator Stefani Parks deemed, “One of the best shows we’ve ever done.”

Parks, and fellow co-chairs Kim Grimes and Heather Quarles believe that the Junior Miss scholarship competition opens a variety of valuable personal growth experiences and opportunities to a new group of uniquely talented and memorable young women each year.

“What was so amazing is that they really loved each of these girls,” said Kathy Morgan. “They’re all coming from such different home situations and backgrounds. It isn’t just a popularity contest. It’s such a diverse growing experience.”

The proud mother went on to say, “The town is so lucky that she [Coordinator Stefani Parks] keeps us going. Otherwise there would be no program.” She also gushed about the trio behind the scenes, Grimes, Quarles and Parks — and the time they spend away from their own families and jobs to make Junior Miss a special opportunity for the entire community. 

“Oh my gosh they work so hard!”

Still, more hard work is in store for Kaitlin, who will have the opportunity to continue on to the state competition in Rohnert Park, Calif. in August, and possibly the nationals in Mobile, Ala. later this summer.

“These girls were refreshing because the group as a whole brought a sense of innocence,” said Parks, who has been involved with Junior Miss in various roles since she was awarded the title in 1988. “The judges stated that it seemed to be a very pure group.”

The judge’s panel included various Junior Miss participants, volunteers and supporters from as far away as Iowa, and as close to home as Bakersfield and Shafter.

Mike Heckathorn returned once again as this year’s charming emcee, along with Junior Miss 2007, Cheyanne Gustason, who passed on her title and joined the “secret sisters” in honoring the contestants with a red rose presentation.
Secret sisters, affectionately called “has beens,” encourage and uplift the contestants throughout their extensive preparation for the big event. In turn, the contestants also have the opportunity to mentor a “little sister,” between the ages of 5-8-years-old, encouraging them to become “a positive light in their community.”

Carrying on the touching tradition of performing together, the two generations lit up the audience’s hearts with a special dance routine to the appropriately familiar tune of, “What a Wonderful World.”

Anecdotes and trivia about world travel led south of the border, into the spicy Latin rhythms of the Mambo, as the traditional father-daughter dance created memories sure to last a lifetime.

Slowing things down a bit, was the melodic theme from Romeo and Juliet. This offered the proud tuxedo clad dads the opportunity to publicly show off their talented, twirling young princesses before they waltz away all too soon, in pursuit of their own handsome princes, higher education, careers and the many challenges of adulthood.

Transitioning with finesse from the uniform of a Kern County Sheriff’s Deputy into the envy of any sharp-dressed-man, Kaitlin’s father, Richard Morgan donned his tuxedo with confidence.

“I think what I enjoyed most was dancing with my dad,” said Kaitlin adding that he performed equally well to the Mambo and the slower daddy-daughter dance. “I don’t think he would have  done it on his own free will and I appreciate that. It was fun. When I was little I danced on his feet.”

Dad felt the same way.

“It was such a great time to be able to really get in touch with her,” said Kaitlin’s father, Richard Morgan. “We’re both always so busy. It gave us a chance to connect. We had the chance to talk and really bond.”

 
In loving memory of a Junior Miss sister, Cierra Redenius

This year’s theme, “Passport to the World” took a solemn but heartfelt excursion into the heavenly realm, as 2006 Junior Miss contestant Cierra Redenius was honored posthumously. Sadly, Cierra, known as “Angel Baby” to her parents and family, did not survive a 2007 Christmas Day auto accident.

Dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Heal The World,” this year’s contestants dedicated their show to Cierra’s memory, and a $300 scholarship was also awarded in her name to Lisa Gaeta, who sang “There’s Your Trouble” by the Dixie Chicks. (See to contribute to Cierra’s scholarship fund on page A2).

“She changed the hearts of a lot of people,” said Cierra’s mother, DeAnn Redenius. “She was a friend to so many.”

So the true spirit of Tehachapi’s Junior Miss 2008, was honored in heaven and on Earth.


Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me


Tehachapi Junior Miss 2008 Awards

Interview

1st Place: Desiree Hernandez
2nd Place: Kaitlyn Morgan
3rd Place: Christina Danielson

Physical Fitness

1st Place: Molly McCord
2nd Place: Chelsea Maduena
3rd Place: Mariah Schultz

Talent

1st Place: Lisa Gaeta - Received $300 Scholarship in honor of Cierra Redenius
2nd Place: Kelly Phillips
3rd Place: Melody Henderson

Self Expression

1st Place: McKenna Ramiro
2nd Place: Mariah Schultz
3rd Place: Christina Danielson

Top Scholar

Kaitlin Morgan

Spirit of Junior Miss

Kelli Morrow

Runners Up

1st Runner Up: McKenna Ramiro
2nd Runner Up: Kelly Phillips

Special Recognition:

Molly McCord, Melody Henderson, Mariah Schultz, Lisa Gaeta.