By Staff
NILES - Five girls will take the stage this Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Niles Senior High School auditorium, as they compete in the 2005 Miss Niles/Brandywine pageant.
Also in attendance will be former Miss Niles and Miss Niles/Brandywines ranging from 1939 to current title holders, as the pageant celebrates the 100th anniversary of Blossomtime with a reunion of the former queens.
Amanda Linette Thornhill
Amanda Linette Thornhill, 17, of River Street, Niles, attends Niles High School.
She stands five feet, six and a half inches tall and has blonde hair and blue green eyes.
She is the daughter of Mark and Amy Thornhill and has one brother, Cory, 20.
Upon graduation from high school Amanda plans to attend Southwestern Michigan College for two years and then transfer to a four year college where she will major in elementary education and minor in psychology.
Amanda is a member of the new brand of the Kiwanis Key Club, second year varsity wrestling manager, choir, Spanish Club and Yearbook Club.
Her hobbies include photography, scrapbooking, sewing, music, reading, swimming and working with children.
In the future Amanda hopes to see a new high school built in Niles, so future classes don't focus on the flaws. She would also like to see the St. Joseph River in a cleaner and healthier state.
Ashley Renee Jenks
Ashley Jenks, 17, of St. Joseph Street, Niles, attends Niles High School. She is the daughter of Tina Thorton and John Jenks.
She stands five feet, seven inches tall and has light brown hair and hazel eyes.
After graduation Ashley plans to attend Western Michigan university where she will major in pharmacology.
While attending Niles High School, Ashley has been a member of the varsity tennis team, Spanish Club, B.P.A., a volunteer at H.N.S. with Luvability, a volunteer with the Apple Festival Car show and is a member of Granger Community Church.
Her hobbies include trying new recipes, reading, knitting, crossword puzzles, riding the train to Chicago to shop and fine dining.
In the future Ashley hopes to see the competition of downtown Niles being revived and the vacant stores filled. She thinks Niles has made great progress in the past few years and would like to see it continue.
Meredith Hamill
Meredith Hamill, 17, of Wells Street, Dowagiac, attends Niles High School. She has light brown hair, brown eyes and stands five feet, four inches tall.
Meredith is the daughter of Dan and Val Hamill. She has two sisters, Mallory and Elise.
Upon graduation she plans to attend college, with the hopes of one day becoming a social worker.
While attending Niles High School, Meredith has been a member of the cheerleading squad and is currently the captain of the varsity squad. She has also participated in gymnastics, Postponing Sexual Involvement, Drug Free Players and German Club.
Outside of school Meredith enjoys horseback riding, shopping, being with friends and gymnastics.
One thing she would like to see change in the community is for some kind of program or group to be put together for teens on the weekends. It would be a place for them to have more choices and opportunities of things to do.
Shannon Blackwell
Shannon Blackwell, 17, of Rohlfs Lane, Niles, attends Niles High School and is the daughter of Teresa Eagley and Jimmie Clark.
She stands five feet, two inches tall and has black hair with an auburn tint and black/brown eyes.
Upon graduation from high school Shannon plans to attend college to study psychology to become a dolphin and whale trainer.
While in school she has participated in cheerleading, Drug Free Players, is a member of the Alpha Kalpha Alpha Sorority and has been a Sunday school teacher.
Her hobbies include showing rabbits at the Berrien County Youth Fair, going horseback riding, spend time with family, going bowling and to the movies with friends, watching millionaire with her mom and cheerleading and gymnastics.
One thing Shannon would like to see in her community is an old-time ice cream parlor and more activities at the Riverfront Park Amphitheater. She would like to see more programs for kids and teenagers so they would have something to do other than travel in the wrong direction
Jessica Zeitler
Jessica Zeitler, 17, of Lake Shore Drive, Niles, is the daughter of John Zeitler and Christy Quick. She attends Niles High School.
Jessica stands five feet, one inch tall and has blonde hair and green eyes.
Upon graduation she plans to attend a junior college somewhere close to home. She then would like to attend Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. to become a professor of music.
While in school Jessica has been part of the varsity competitive cheer team, a member of N-Club and is becoming a member of the Granger Community Church.
Her hobbies include singing and writing music, as she is the winter of the Michiana Teen Idol 2004. She also enjoys being with friends, meeting new people, supporting all of Niles sports and just having a good time.
As for changes Jessica would like it see in Niles, they would be small at first. First she would like to see people take better care of the environment. Also it would be nice to see people help each other out and be more friendly.