Here they are: Teen, Miss, Mrs. Oregon

The Lake Oswego Review, Apr 2, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

SUBMITTED PHOTO / KELLY CAMPBELL PHOTOGRAPHER

The 2009 winners of the Oregon International Pageant held at the Lake Oswego High School are, from left, Miss Teen Oregon Sheilja Patel, Miss Oregon International Jessica Carlson, and Mrs. Oregon International Sandra Herder.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Tears, tiaras, interviews and evening gowns were all part of the Oregon International Pageant held Friday and Saturday at Lake Oswego High School.

The two-day event culminated in nerve-jangling anticipation of the announcement of those who would wear the crowns.

For 2009, Miss Teen Oregon International is Sheilja Patel, 18, from Tigard. She is a freshman at Portland State University. Her platform work is to promote awareness and education regarding Crohns disease and colitis as she herself has suffered from these diseases.

Miss Oregon International is Jessica Carlson, 28, from Portland. She is a medical student at OHSU, studying to be a vascular surgeon. She is also president of her class and serves on the alumni board. Her platform work is promoting heart health.

Mrs. Oregon International is Sandra Herder, 43, from Portland. She and her husband Rob have two sons. She is a K-2 teacher at Stephenson Elementary School. Her platform work is with the S.M.A.R.T. program.

In the Miss Teen division the first runner-up was Bronwyn Gibson a junior at Lake Oswego High School. She was also chosen as the most photogenic out of all the contestants.

Crystal Gregg, also a junior at Lake Oswego High School, was awarded Miss Lake Oswego Teen People’s Choice Second Place.

The areas of competition for the Miss and Teen pageant were the interview (40 percent), the evening gown (20 percent), physical fitness (20 percent) and fun fashion wear (20 percent). The Mrs. Oregon categories did not include the fun fashion wear.

The prize package for each winner is worth more than $10,000. It includes a trip to Chicago for the national pageant, wardrobe and accessories for the pageant, personal training services, nail services for the year, a tanning package from Lakeside Tanning, gift certificates from Lucky Me and Meringue Boutique and teeth whitening from Lake Oswego cosmetic dentist Dr. Sue Wendling.

The mission of the pageant is to give women of all ages an opportunity to grow and become better people. The pageants emphasize beauty, good character and service to others, and celebrate the accomplishments of dynamic women who are making a positive difference in their communities.