By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Cassopolis Vigilant
Cassopolis -- The heroes of 9-11 provided the backdrop for the Miss Cassopolis 2004 contest Saturday evening at Ross Beatty High School. Amid red, white and blue decorations, Linaya McMillen Hass was crowned the new Miss Cassopolis.
Hass, 16, the daughter of Dean and Glenda Hass, is 5'4" and has blonde hair and blue eyes. Her sister Heather was Miss Cassopolis 2002. She has another sister, Cally, 15.
She is the Ross Beatty High School Junior Class President, National Honor Society Treasurer, Spanish Society Treasurer, in Spanish Club, SADD, Varsity Club, 4-H, Cheerleading for both football and basketball, and plays softball.
Like many of the other contestants, she loves dancing, and therefore enjoyed being part of the entertainment.
The 2003 court also performed a dance to "Great Balls of Fire," wearing firefighters' gear.
On stage, a lighted cutout of the now famous scene of the firemen putting up a flag, after 9-11, served as a decoration along with a Statue of Liberty and torch.
Ashley Smego, Miss Cassopolis 2003 and her twin brother, Adam, who was Mr. Cassopolis 2003 and Mr. Blossomtime 2003, crowned the new queen and her 1st Runner-up.
Miss Hass is in Who's Who Among American High School Students and on the High Honor Roll. She has received awards for Academic Excellence, a National Science Merit, and numerous other academic, athletic and dance awards. She participated in the Citizenship Washington Focus and the Michigan Summer Institute.
After graduation she plans to attend a four year college to major in Marine Biology.
She entered the Miss Cassopolis Pageant to "have fun, make new friends, learn new interview skills, and because I would love the opportunity to represent my community."
When Pat Moody, Master of Ceremonies, asked Hass how 9-11 has impacted her, she answered she "cherishes her family … because you never know. I am close to my family … and every day is much more precious."
Serving Hass as 1st Runner-up is Brooke Maxfield, the 2002 Cass County Fair Queen.
Brooke Maxfield, 17, of Cassopolis, is the daughter of Dorothy Smith and Louis Maxfield. She is 5'7" and has brown hair and hazel eyes. Her sister's name is Misti.
A senior at Ross Beatty, she is involved in cheerleading, volleyball, 4-H, SADD, Student Senate, National Honor Society, Varsity Club, Spanish Club, and Spanish Honor Society. After graduation she plans on attending Southwestern Michigan College to major in early childhood education and minor in elementary education.
When she is not working at Lunkers in Edwardsburg or Starz Academy, she enjoys swimming, snowmobiling, babysitting and having fun and spending time with family and friends.
Tara Rae Borsa, who was chosen by the other contestants as Miss Congeniality, was named 2nd Runner-up.
Borsa, 17, of Cassopolis, is the daughter of Dennis and Robin Borsa. She is 5'2" and has brown hair and brown eyes. She has two brothers and five sisters.
A senior at Ross Beatty, she is involved in HOSTA, cheerleading, SADD, Varsity Club, Science Olympiad, Spanish Club, Spanish Honor Society, Student Senate, National Honor Society, and Educational Talent Search.
She works at Lunkers in Edwardsburg and her hobbies are swimming, cooking and spending time with family and friends.
She is on the National Honor Roll, Who's Who, and is a MEAP Merit winner.
After graduation she plans to attend a college or university "to get my degree in either secondary education or physical therapy."
Also part of the new court will be Miss Entrepreneur, Stephanie Erin Hershberger.
Hershberger, 19, of Vandalia, a junior, is the daughter of James and Teresa Hershberger. She is 5'7" and has light brown hair and hazel eyes.
A junior at Ross Beatty, she is 4-H Club President, a 4-H Teen Member of Leaders Council, Who's Who Among Young Poets of Michigan, Citizenship Washington Focus, and a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
She works at the Cass District Library and enjoys volunteering, playing sports, canoeing, rafting, camping, and bowling.
After graduation she intends to attend Southwestern Michigan College and then transfer to Western Michigan University and major in elementary education.