By Staff
NILES - The Miss Niles-Brandywine Pageant will be held at Niles High School at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23. Tickets are $10 at the door, or available from any of the contestants.
The following young ladies are participating:
Lacey Liane Wiemuth
Lacey Liane Wiemuth, 17, is the daughter of Dave B. Wiemuth and Linda L. Miller. She attends Niles High School and Lake Michigan College.
After school she plans on attending Ferris State University to major in Dental Hygiene. She hopes to pursue cheerleading and work with children.
Wiemuth has been honored for varsity cheerleading and soccer captain, and All-American cheerleader. She's also been involved in school choir, Drug Free Player, N-Club, gymnastics, volunteering at the YMCA, and helping with the Niles Haunted House.
Wiemuth decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because she has always known she wanted to take part in the contest. When she was a little girl she used to watch pageants and admired how well rounded each contestant was with education, passion for what they do, talent, enthusiasm, beauty, and most of all confidence. She would like to have the opportunity to give back to the community.
Ashley Ruth Hullinger
Ashley Ruth Hullinger, 17, is the daughter of Cindy Fitzsimons and Cort Hullinger. She attends Brandywine Jr./Sr. High School.
After school she plans on attending Ferris State University for nursing.
Hullinger has made honor roll many times and Homecoming Princess in the winter of 2003.
She been involved in soccer, cheerleading, and she helped out with Vacation Bible School.
Hullinger decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because ever since she was little girl she always wanted become "queen" and this would be a good way to fulfill that dream. Hullinger and her family are extremely close and they are very supportive and encouraging of everything she does.
Chanelle Santana
Chanelle Santana, 17, is the daughter of David and Terri Santana. She attends Brandywine High School.
After school she plans to attend a college to work with animals.
Santana has been honored for honor roll and National Honor Society.
She is involved in the Apple Festival Lip Sync, band, choir, church choir, youth group, football and basketball cheerleading, baseball manager, missions trips to Haiti and Costa Rica.
Santana decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because she has always been interested in modeling since she was very young. She thinks this would be a very good experience for herself.
Britney Forburger
Britney Forburger, 17, is the daughter of Kim Vidt and Rob Forburger. She attends Niles High School.
After school she plans to attend a four-year college to major in elementary education and minor in sociology.
Forburger has been honored for honor roll, captain of volleyball, captain of soccer, and the Steven Tyler award (given to the most well rounded junior in the class).
She is involved in volleyball, soccer, choir, a class officer, and copy editor of the year book.
Forburger decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because she's never been the pageant type of girl. She went to them when she was younger because of a sister or cousin competing. She likes to have fun and didn't want to miss out on anything.
Nicole Dembinski
Nicole Dembinski, 17, is the daughter of Kelly and Karen Dembinski. She attends Brandywine High School.
After high school. she plans to attend in the University of Michigan and major in Pathology.
Dembinski has been honored for National Honors Society, Board of Education's Academic Recognition award, and honor roll throughout high school.
She is involved in Brandywine Varsity Cheerleading, she's been cheerleading, and was junior class secretary. She was also in the school band program and colorguard. She was involved with the school newspaper and is currently involved with the Dutch Exchange Program.
Her hobbies include being with her friends and family, watching Notre Dame football with her dad, watching movies, scrapbooking, listening to music, playing with her two dogs, and shopping.
Dembinski decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because a friend of hers participated and told her how much fun it was. Along with that her family encouraged her to participate.
Brittany Smith
Brittany Smith, 17, is the daughter of Rick and Marsie Smith. She attends Niles High School.
After school she plans on attending college and probably major in English.
Smith has been honored for the Berrien County Mathematics and Science Center at Andrews University. She is involved in Student Council for three years, Co-Vice President 2003, current Historian, National Honors Society member, varsity wrestling manager, and varsity soccer.
Smith decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because her mother competed in the competition during her senior year of high school and greatly enjoyed it.
Mandy Robson
Mandy Robson, 18, is the daughter of Jeff and Lynn Robson. She attends Southwestern Michigan College and Andrew's University.
Robson is currently a freshman at Southwestern and Andrew's University and majoring in graphic design and photography. She also works at the Ready Theatre in Niles.
She has been honored for National Honors Society, graduated with honors, offered a $16,000 scholarship to Andrew's University, scholarship for half tuition at Southwestern Michigan College and a scholarship from Niles Haunted House, and the Michigan Merit award.
She is involved in Junior Apple Queen in 1999, went on a missions trip to New York City, was in National Honors Society, co-president of Spanish Club, cheerleader, soccer, youth group at church, and currently coaching seventh grade cheerleading.
Her hobbies include photography, baking cookies, swing dancing, going to movies, and four wheeling.
Robson decided the enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because she enjoyed the experience last year.She feels if she was chosen as a representative for the Niles/Brandywine community, it would be a very privileged opportunity to be a positive roll model and a good example for younger girls.
Caity Hood
Caity Hood, 17, is the daughter of Cathy and Alan Hood. She attends Niles High School.
After school she plans on attending Michigan State University to become a vet.
Hood has been honored for academic athletic award and the presidential award. She is involved in student council, Postponing Sexual Involvement, DECA, HOSA, cheerleading, and various community service and fundraisers with cheerleading.
Hood decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because she has never done anything like this before and she is looking forward to the new experience. She also used to go to Brandywine so she hopes to see old classmates.
Amanda Joy Lemna
Amanda Joy Lemna, 19, is the daughter of Kent and Yolanda Lemna. She graduated and is employed at West Wood of Niles.
After graduation, she and her family decided that she would take a year off from school and would return in the fall of 2005 to become an interior designer.
Lemna has been honored for merits in math, science and english, all four years of high school.
She is involved in cheerleading, playing softball and sang in the choir when she was at school, her church's Adopt a family program, and volunteering with her extra time at her work place by reading, singing and being a friend to someone. Her hobbies include shopping with her sisters, playing sports, volunteering, taking pictures, bowling, gardening, and being with her friends. Lemna decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because in 2003 her sister entered the contest and said it was a blast. She would make a great ambassador of this wonderful community. She would bring an energetic personality that would reflect very well on the Niles/Brandywine area.
Michelle DeMeulenaere
Michelle DeMeulenaere, 18, is the daughter of Mark and Laura DeMeulenaere. She attends Brandywine High School.
After graduation she plans on attending SMC to obtain an Associates Degree in Business. She then plans to attend The Chicago Culinary Institute to become a professional chef, with hopes to one day own her own restaurant.
DeMeulenaere has been honored for all conference art 2003, varsity cheerleading, and honor roll.
She is involved in Brandywine cheerleading since seventh grade, Dutch Exchange Program 2004-2005, Co-Chairman Brandywine Jr/Sr Prom 2004, Swiss Valley Jr. Ski Team, soccer 2003.
Her hobbies include cooking, arts and crafts, painting, downhill skiing and dancing. DeMeulenaere decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Pageant because to be part of a pageant has been a childhood dream of hers. She was inspired by her hairdresser Erica Webber Newman who shared with her experiences at Miss Niles, beginning when she was very young. She is looking forward to meeting all of the other contestants, especially those from other schools.
Shiulie Mondol
Shiulie Mondol, 17, is the daughter of Augustine and Lena Mondol. She attends Niles High School.
After school she plans on attending college and become a nurse. Mondol has been honored for Awarded Agent from MLI Model and Talent Search. She is involved in tennis, and a regular activity participant at church. Mondol decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest from watching pageant shows for years. It has been a lifelong dream that one day she could feel the same way they did.
Keshia Lemna
Keshia Lemna, 17, is the daughter of Kent Lemna and Yolanda Lemna. She attends Niles High School.
After school she plans to attend a community college and then transfer after two years to Western Michigan University to study human resources and sociology.
Lemna has been honored for outstanding cheerleader at camp for Jump Perfectioners and loudness, and math recognition for math skills above average.
She is involved in choir and cheerleading at school. At church she is involved in volunteering for local families in need of money, food and fun.
Her hobbies include being friendly, helping people in need, shopping, working out, talking, and volunteering in the community. Lemna decided to enter the Miss Niles/Brandywine Contest because she participated in the 2004 Pageant. She had the best time and it was a great impact on her life. She really enjoyed herself and the other girls. She also knows that if she was crowned she would be a great role model. She would take every responsibility to her heart. She really loves her family and community and would love to be a representative of Niles/Brandywine.