Teen runner-up in competition

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Alyssa Fernandes

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For contestants at the Miss New Hampshire’s Outstanding Teen Competition, Saturday and Sunday were filled with sparkling evening gowns, music and tiaras.

The winner of the night’s scholarship competition was Lauren Percy, of Bow, with first runner-up going to Merrimack resident Alyssa Fernandes.

Miss New Hampshire’s Outstanding Teen program is for girls ages 13-17. It is a little sister to the Miss America organization.

The competition, which was held at Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy’s Spaulding Arts & Humanities Center in Derry, drew 28 students from across the Granite State. The top 10 contestants were chosen on Saturday night, and on Sunday night, Percy was crowned Miss New Hampshire’s Outstanding Teen 2011.

The girls vied for more than $3,000 in scholarship awards, and the right to compete at the seventh annual Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition in August in Orlando, Fla.

As first runner up, Fernandes won $500 in scholarship money. Fernandes is the daughter of Steven and Michelle Fernandes, and a junior at Merrimack High School.

Other local competitors were Emily Curtis and Katherine Smith, both of Merrimack, and Melissa LaCoste, of Amherst.

The teens are scored according to the same general criteria as Miss New Hampshire and Miss America competitions. They face an interview with a panel of judges, talent competitions, lifestyle and fitness competitions, evening wear competitions and an onstage question and answer session.

There is an academic portion, as well.

For her talent, Fernandes performed a ballet en pointe routine to “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies” from “The Nutcracker.”

Each girl must choose a relevant issue as her platform. It is always something, said Audra Burns, co-chairwoman of the event, “that (the contestants) worked with, they’re starting to work with, or they’re passionate about.”

Fernandes’ platform is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a nonprofit organization whose mission statement is “to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors.”

Burns said that she was impressed by the capability and confidence of the girls on stage last weekend.

The program is “heavily scholastic based,” Burns said.

“They’re all such outstanding students. They’re very academic in school, and they have their talents and they work on their platforms. They’re well rounded young ladies.”

All the contestants, regardless of whether they placed as finalists, were given an invaluable opportunity to perform on stage, Burns said.

“For most of them, this is the first time they’ve ever had a chance to go on stage and speak,” Burns said.

Through Miss New Hampshire’s Outstanding Teen Competition, girls as young as 13 are building their self confidence and learning how to conduct themselves professionally, she added.

The program’s producer is Candace Glickman, who was named Miss New Hampshire in 2003.

Co-chairs of event are Miss New Hampshire 1995, Dr. Stephanie Mills, and Burns, who was Miss New Hampshire in 2005.

The Miss New Hampshire Outstanding Teen Competition is currently in its seventh year. Burns said she was delighted to watch as, over the past seven years, girls have “grown and developed in our program.”