By By JOHN EBY / Cassopolis Vigilant
BENTON HARBOR - A nice girl in a brown dress won.
Miss Blossomtime Kaylee Magro also was selected Miss Congeniality Monday night by her 23 competitors, a dual achievement which occurs rarely.
Kaylee, 18, a New Buffalo High School senior competing as Contestant 23, Miss Three Oaks, wants to continue her education at Southwestern Michigan College due to the strength of its performing arts program. Then she will transfer to Columbia College in Chicago.
The 2005 bud queen stands 5-foot-7 and is the daughter of John and Kimberly Magro.
Bright yellow like the sun, she said as one of 10 finalists when asked what color best describes her personality.
Kaylee has brown hair and brown eyes and found success in Sunday night's Showcase of Queens as one of three communications winners with her commercial for Bit-o-Honey in a brown costume - Winnie the Pooh.
And then there was her striking brown gown Monday night. It was unique in a sea of sherbet sheaths spanning the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center Mainstage.
First runner-up was Miss Watervliet Kourtney Marvin. Edwardsburg kept second runner-up in the family, with 2004's Jessica Neagu crowning junior Chelsie Baucus.
Other finalist included Miss Buchanan Chelsea Ghatoaura, Miss Berrien Springs Jessica Gilbert, Miss St. Joseph Meenakshi Davuluri, Miss Bridgman Abbey Nemitz, Miss Paw Paw Danielle Small and Miss Galien Paige Olney.
On Sunday evening, in the Mr. Blossomtime competition, winners included Mr. Blossomtime Joshua Wahlstrom of Buchanan, First Runner-up Norm Kellogg of Hartford, Second Runner-up Arnold Gutu of Stevensville, and Mr. Nice Guy David Kolberg of Baroda.