Local women compete for pageant titles

Published 12:00 am Thursday, June 27, 2019

Five young women with ties to the Portland metro area will be among those vying for Miss Oregon and Miss Oregon’s Outstanding Teen this week in Seaside.

Titleholders are: Shivali Kadam, Miss Portland; Jamie Wirth, Miss Washington County; Kiana Grace, Miss Portland’s Outstanding Teen; Vanessa Parnell, Miss Washington County’s Outstanding Teen; and Allison Burke, Miss Northwest Wonderland.

In Seaside, the three Miss candidates will compete in personal interview, evening gown and talent. This year, there will be no swimsuit category; instead candidates will present a brief social impact statement about their platform, an issue they are passionate about.

The two Teen contestants will compete in personal interview, evening gown, lifestyle and fitness and talent.

The pageant continues through Sunday, June 30. Some bios:

Allison Burke, 23, Miss Northwest Wonderland

Burke graduated from Tigard High School in 2013 and is currently attending Portland State University as a public health student, specializing in community health education. She was born and raised in Tigard, where she is a current member of Rotary International. She also served as a member of Tigard’s leadership council and was chosen to represent the Tigard-metropolitan area in 2013 as a Portland Rose Festival princess.

Burke’s platform is “Hunger-Free Oregon.” She chose it because she feels that “everyone has the right to be free from hunger, and to have access to affordable, sustainable, culturally-appropriate and nutritious food.”

She wants to be Miss Oregon partly because the scholarship money will help her continue her education as a public health student. Also, Burke hopes to run for public office someday, so the title would give her the opportunity to network and create connections with nonprofits and businesses across the state.

She adds, “I truly believe in the relevancy and unique opportunities the Miss Oregon crown presents.”

Shivali Kadam, 25, Miss Portland

Kadam graduated from Tualatin High School in 2012 and from Oregon State University in 2018, with a degree in chemical engineering. She currently works full-time as a construction manager for Jacobs Engineering Group in semiconductor manufacturing.

She and her parents emigrated to America from India when Kadam was 2 years old, and she has lived in the Portland area since she was 13.

Kadam chose “STEM to Bloom” as her platform and says her goal is to grow the next generation of female engineers and scientists.

“Currently, only 20% of undergraduate engineering degrees are earned by women and only 13% of working engineers in the U.S. are female,” she says.

“I want to serve as Miss Oregon because I want to create the opportunities for personal growth and professional development that have led me to the success I have today,” Kadam says.

“With four years of experience as a local titleholder, I have a thorough understanding of our organization and a clear vision for where I want to take it.”

Jamie Wirth, 25, Miss Washington County

Wirth graduated from Aloha High School in 2012 and recently graduated from Portland State University with a degree in criminal justice and criminology.

She has lived in Washington County her entire life and says she feels honored and privileged to represent not only her hometown but also her home county.

Because she has suffered from concussion, Wirth chose “Be Mindful: Brain Injury Awareness” as her platform and hopes to educate the public about brain injuries.

“Just because it’s an invisible injury does not mean it should go unnoticed,” she says.

Wirth adds, “I want to be Miss Oregon because I want to be relatable. I believe in this program and what it does for young women, and I want to continue growing this program and making it more relevant.”

Kiana Grace, 16, Miss Portland’s Outstanding Teen

In the fall, Grace will be a junior at Mountainside High School in Beaverton; she hopes to attend medical school and become a surgeon.

She was born in Portland and is a guide for new students at MHS, among other activities.

“I chose ‘Let’s Talk — Mental Health Awareness’ for my platform, because I want to break the stigma surrounding mental health; nobody deserves to hide that part of their life or struggle in silence,” Grace says.

At the upcoming pageant, Grace says she is most looking forward to getting to know the other girls and growing from this rewarding experience.

She adds, “I want to be Miss Oregon’s Outstanding Teen because I feel I can make an impact on others and positively represent the organization.”

Vanessa Parnell, 16, Miss Washington County’s Outstanding Teen

Parnell will be a junior in the fall at Southridge High School in Beaverton. In the future, she plans to attend college and major in broadcasting/communications.

At the high school, she is a member of the Black Student Union and Community Outreach. She is in her second year as captain of the Hawkettes, her school’s hip-hop and pom varsity dance team.

She says she chose “Making Fitness Fun” for her platform, noting that she focuses on getting youth out and moving.

“The goal is to show them that being active does not have to be a burden,” she says.

Parnell says that winning the state title would help her promote her platform.

“I also know that many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities come with holding the title. I think it’d be the best way for me to leave my legacy about physical education for youth, and about who I am personally.”

To learn more about the Miss Oregon pageant and to buy tickets, visit http://www.missoregon.org.