By By NORMA LERNER / Cassopolis Vigilant
Rose Phillips was so surprised at being crowned Miss Cass/St. Joseph County 2005 Saturday night that she was laughing and at the same time shaking like a leaf.
The 22-year-old Edwardsburg contestant was crowned from a field of six contestants at Southwestern Michigan College's Dale A. Lyons Building before an audience of 200.
Crowned first runner-up was Amanda Green, 22, of Vandalia. Second runner-up was Marisa Viestenz, 18, of Dowagiac.
Phillips is the award winner of $1,200 in scholarships. She thanked judges for the opportunity to participate in the program and her friends on the pageant committee. "I want to thank the wonderful girls I met and hope to see you next year," she said after being crowned.
The 5-foot, brown-eyed Bethel College, Mishawaka, Ind., graduate wore a black V-neck, polyester-crepe long dress decorated with ostrich feathers.
She aspires to become a music teacher and graduated from Bethel in vocal performance. She also plans to obtain a degree in music education.
Her talent was a vocal song. Her platform was, "I've Got the Music in Me."
A graduate of Edwardsburg High School, her parents are James and Beverly Phillips.
Her on-stage question was, "What was your most memorable experience?"
She responded that she put in a lot of hard work in preparing for the contest and got sick the week before the program. She said, "God helped me get through this."
Phillips said music education begins in a child as soon as it is born.
Green is a graduate of Ross Beatty High School and is attending Western Michigan University to major in chemistry. Her parents are James and Linda Green.
Viestenz graduated from Dowagiac Union High School and attends Oklahoma City University in dance performance. Her parents are Robert and Patricia Viestenz.
First runner up won a $500 scholarship, and the second runner-up receives a $300 scholarship.
Phillips plans to compete in the Miss Michigan pageant in Muskegon next June.
Other contestants awarded $200 scholarships were Sara Lawrence and Elizabeth Grady, both from Dowagiac, and Stephanie Stambek of Marcellus.
Mistresses of ceremonies were Jessica Cuthbert, last year's Miss Cass/St. Joseph from Dowagiac, and former queens Stacie Barthel and Melissa Prestine, both of Niles.