AMANDA COMPETED IN MISS AMERICA 2005

Amanda became involved with the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program in 2002.  She was attracted by the opportunity to develop a community service platform, earn scholarship dollars, and showcase her singing talent on stage.  Amanda placed in the top ten at Miss Ohio as Miss Summit County in 2002 and was first runner-up to Miss Ohio as Miss North Coast in 2003. Having placed first runner at Miss Ohio 2003, Amanda was qualified to compete in the National Sweetheart Pageant in Hoopston, IL, a first runner-up pageant for state Miss America finalists. Amanda placed in the top 10.  Her third and final year competing for the job of Miss Ohio, Amanda represented the Miss Lake Erie program and captured the title of Miss Ohio 2004.  Amanda was a non-finalist talent award winner at Miss America singing Puccini's Quando m'en vo and won over $35,000 in scholarships throughout her competitive years.
 

Throughout her year of service as Miss Ohio, Amanda promoted Youngstown State University's SMARTS - Students Motivated by the Arts.  SMARTS is an after-school, weekend and summer arts program for at-risk youth.  Amanda hosted school assemblies and performances for thousands of students and spoke for hundreds of community events, schools, and service organizations about the importance of after-school programming and the utilization of the arts as a tool to motivate and inspire students to learn and succeed. Amanda still offers motivational presentations and continues her commitment to community service. 

Her most memorable appearances as Miss Ohio include singing the National Anthem at a Cleveland Browns game, entertaining patients at Walter Reed Medical Center, and singing for such luminaries as John Glenn. After her year of service, she parlayed her Miss Ohio experiences into continued public speaking, hosting, and concert appearances. 

Amanda used her scholarship dollars to obtain a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and a Master of Science degree in Entertainment Business. Amanda continues to stay involved in pageantry as a coach, judge, mentor and sponsor.