Special to The Star-Herald
PRESQUE ISLE – When the curtain opened on the 2009 Junior Miss and Miss Mapleton pageant at Presque Isle High School April 4, all five Junior Miss and three Miss Contestants performed a high-energy dance routine to Rihanna’s “Pon de Replay.” Joining the contestants on stage were reigning 2008 Junior Miss Mapleton Sarah McEachern and 2008 Miss Mapleton Hannah Cheney.
Following the introduction of judges, auditors and visiting queens, the 2008 Junior Miss Maine Potato Queen Michaela Powers spoke to the audience. She outlined some of the events she has attended and appearances she’s made since she was crowned last summer.
She thanked the Mapleton Ladies Extension for being given the opportunity to participate in the local pageant last year, where she was crowned Junior Miss Mapleton.
During the casual wear competition, the Junior Miss contestants spoke of an influential person in their life and the Miss contestants shared with the audience their individual platform, a cause that they are passionate about and would hope to promote as Miss Mapleton.
The four Little Miss Mapleton contestants took to the stage to introduce themselves and their talent selection for their upcoming pageant scheduled for April 25.
Following the Junior Miss talent competition, the reigning 2008 Junior Miss Mapleton Sarah McEachern performed a dance routine. At the conclusion of the Miss Talent competition, Hannah Cheney, 2008 Miss Mapleton, shared a vocal selection followed by a toe-tapping clogging routine performed by the Mini-Cloggers from MoonDance Studios.
During the Junior Miss and Miss gown walk competitions, each contestant was asked an on-stage question chosen at random. Special performances were then made by the newly crowned Miss Presque Isle Haley Johnston and former Miss Presque Isle Nicole Ballard.
Each of the reigning queens had their opportunity to share their farewells on pre-recorded messages. McEachern was escorted by her father, Bruce McEachern, while Cheney, in the absence of her military father who is serving abroad, was escorted by her oldest brother, Josh Cheney. Before the judges’ decisions were announced, Shayna daCruz wowed the audience with a lyrical dance routine and the contestants showed that “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by taking one last final quick spin around the stage during the always entertaining gown parade. Creatively choreographed, each contestant received her participation trophy from the two reigning queens during the gown parade.
After the envelope was passed and the final decision had been announced, the crowns were awarded to Junior Miss Mapleton Hannah Stoutamyer, who sang “Maybe” from the musical Annie for her talent selection. Stoutamyer, the daughter of Adam and Kristi Stoutamyer, was also named Junior Miss Congeniality, Junior Miss Photogenic, and received the Junior Miss Talent and Interview awards. Katelynn Hartt’s personal arrangement of “Through the Eyes of Love” on the piano earned her the title of Miss Mapleton 2009. Hartt, the daughter of Alton and Marcia Hartt, was also named Miss Congeniality, and received the Miss Talent award, Miss Interview award and Miss Hospitality award.
Other Junior Miss contestants competing were:
• Naomi McEachern, the daughter of Bruce McEachern and Pamela Pendexter-McEachern, who performed a monologue entitled “A Doll’s Life.” She was named Junior Miss Hospitality.
• Emma Langille, the daughter of Carroll Jr. and Jennifer Langille, who performed a Celtic clogging routine to “Mr. Trampest.” She was named Junior Miss Second Runner-Up.
• Brooke Lavway, the daughter of Terry and Lynnelle Lavway, who sang “Only Hope” for her talent selection.
• Cassandra Buck, the daughter of Andrew and Angela Buck, who performed a vocal selection to “Anyway.” At the end of the evening, Buck was named Junior Miss Mapleton First Runner-Up.
Other Miss contestants competing were:
• Paige McEachern, the daughter of Bruce McEachern and Pamela Pendexter-McEachern, who presented “Brian’s Song” on the piano. She was named Miss Photogenic.
• Bethany Lord, the daughter of Liz and Gary Brewer and Sue and Jeff Lord, who sang “I Can Hear the Bells” from the musical “Hairspray” during the talent competition.
Mistresses of Ceremonies for the evening were Alex Cheney and Chelsea Kaiser.
The pageant was under the direction of Rebeckah Perry and sponsored by the Mapleton Ladies Extension.
Junior Miss and Miss Mapleton photos courtesy of Jennifer Buzza
HANNAH STOUTAMYER, daughter of Adam and Kristi Stoutamyer, is crowned 2009 Junior Miss Mapleton by 2008 Junior Miss Mapleton Sarah McEachern. Stoutamyer was also named Junior Miss Congeniality, Junior Miss Photogenic, and received the Junior Miss Talent and Interview awards.
BEING CROWNED Miss Mapleton 2009 by 2008 Miss Mapleton Hannah Cheney is Katelynn Hartt, daughter of Alton and Marcia Hartt. She was also named Miss Congeniality, and received the Miss Talent award, Miss Interview award and Miss Hospitality award.
KATELYNN HARTT, one of three Miss contestants, takes the stage in her casual wear. She shared with the audience the time she has devoted to and the love she has for the Special Olympics program.
HANNAH STOUTAMYER sang “Maybe” from the musical “Annie,” capturing the Junior Miss Mapleton title. She was also named Junior Miss Photogenic, Junior Miss Congeniality, and received the Junior Miss Talent and Interview awards. 
BROOKE LAVWAY models her gown during the Junior Miss gown walk. She sang “Only Hope” during the talent competition, and during the casual wear competition named family friend Bonnie Drew as an influential person in her life.
MISS CONTESTANT Bethany Lord enters the stage in her casual wear. When she approached the microphone, she spoke of her passion for the Make-A-Wish program and would encourage members of the community to help the organization if she were crowned Miss Mapleton.
PAIGE McEACHERN models her gown during the gown parade. If given the opportunity to serve the community as Miss Mapleton, she would encourage others to join her in support of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation which was founded by then four-year-old Alex Scott. Scott was a young girl who wanted to collect money for childhood cancer research and started with a lemonade stand. McEachern was named Miss Photogenic.
JUNIOR MISS MAPLETON CONTESTANT Naomi McEachern performed a monologue entitled “A Doll’s Life” during the talent competition. She was named Junior Miss Hospitality.
EMMA LANGILLE clogged during the Junior Miss Talent competition to “Mr. Trampest.” She was named second runner-up.
JUNIOR MISS CONTESTANT Cassandra Buck walks across the stage in her gown during the gown parade. She sang “Anyway” and was named first runner-up in the Junior Miss division.
