Of all the charitable organizations in the country, there is one nonprofit that continuously pledges community service and dedicates itself to helping young women achieve their educational dreams. The Miss America Organization began in 1921, and its local chapter, the Miss Berks County Scholarship Organization, began awarding the title of Miss Greater Reading in 1959. Today, this all-volunteer organization holds an annual pageant that awards three titles, sending winners on to compete in Miss Pennsylvania. The closed title of Miss Berks County is specifically for young women studying, working or hailing from Berks. The second two titles are open to young women who live, study or work in the Commonwealth: Miss Greater Reading and Miss Greater Reading’s Outstanding Teen. The three winning contestants from January’s scholarship contest at Alvernia University have already started giving back to Berks and Pennsylvania.
Rebecca Potts, the 20 year-old junior from Albright College who is 2013’s Miss Berks County, is busy spreading the word about her platform, which encourages children to express their creativity. “I believe that the crown is a microphone,” Rebecca says. She has already attended several events, given interviews and waitressed on National Pancake Day at the Wyomissing IHOP. Her favorite appearance so far: the Berks Kids Got Talent Competition where she not only sang on stage, but gave all of the kids a “pep-talk” before their performances. She’ll be singing the National Anthem at an upcoming Reading Royals game, traveling to Berks County schools to talk about her platform, and visiting the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Nola Juste, a 24 year-old graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh who earned the Miss Greater Reading title, is raising awareness for sickle cell anemia. She has appeared at her school for an HIV/AIDS summit and at Pittsburgh’s IHOP on National Pancake Day, raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network. In Berks County, Nola’s first public appearance was at a Zumbathon fundraiser for a child with cancer, Jason Heckman. Her ultimate goal? “I would love it if I could see if Rite Aid ask customers to donate a dollar towards sickle cell anemia research at checkout. That would be big.”
Sydne Lyons, a 16-year-old sophomore at Oley Valley High School who sang her way to become Miss Greater Reading’s Outstanding Teen, is a passionate advocate for music and performing arts education. She is also planning on singing the National Anthem at Berks sports arenas, and is excited to participate in musical activities with hospitalized children.
But community service doesn’t stop once the year is up. Miss Berks “formers” are models for volunteerism, including Staci Futrick, Megan Robinson, Carmen Bloom, Brittany Kuperavage, Brittny Sparrow and Christina Keegan. Joann (Troutman) Hyneman still pledges herself to the program as a chaperone to the three titleholders on nearly all of their appearances. In 1961, Joann became the first Miss Berks County, performing her unique acrobatic talent. She remembers it “as if it were yesterday.”
When Linette (Mertz) Davis, a Kutztown native and Kutztown University graduate, became Miss Susquehanna Valley in 1995 and went on to win the Miss Pennsylvania pageant, she received plenty of local support from the Kutztown community, Kutztown University, and from the MBCSO. Even though her title was not local, she always contributed to the Berks community—and still does today. Linette said, “I helped with the local Miss Berks County pageant, was host for banquets in the area, and also volunteered at the Olivet Boys and Girls Club in Reading. I remember having a lot of fun with the kids that day!” A busy educator and mom, she still finds time to help with the Hawk Mountain Council.
Throughout 2013, the three new titleholders will be giving back to the community. In exchange for a few hours of helping out with local children, or raising money for a charity event, the girls are earning generous scholarship awards. Anyone interested in competing, scheduling an appearance, or helping MBCSO, may contact directors Marilyn Baver and Donna Schlouch by visiting missberks.org.
BY TARYN SHILLADY | PHOTOS BY CUCINOTTA IMAGES
