Twenty-two young women, including Miss Clatsop County Jennifer Gibson and Miss North Coast Tarah Wesely, will vie for the $10,000 college scholarship awarded to Miss Oregon 2005 and the opportunity to journey to Atlantic City in September to compete in the Miss America Program.

The 59th annual Miss Oregon Scholarship Program is slated for Sunday through July 2 in Seaside.

The women arrive in Seaside Sunday for a week of events and competition. Interviews with the five judges will be held Tuesday and Wednesday. The interview portion of the competition is not open to the public.

Preliminary competition begins Thursday and July 1 at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center. Half the women perform the talent portion Thursday, while the other half compete in swimwear and evening gown. The competitions are reversed for the Friday evening program.

The top 10 finalists will be announced during competition July 2. Women earning a spot in the top 10 will perform all three competitions – talent, swimwear, and evening gown – during Saturday’s evening program. The evening will culminate with the crowning of Miss Oregon 2005.

Miss Oregon 2004 Brook Roberts will be on hand for the preliminary and final festivities.

Miss Cascade, Sharitha McKenzieSharitha Lynnette McKenzie, Miss Cascade from Portland, 22, went to Benson Polytechnic High School and is a senior at the University of Oregon. She hopes to become a news anchor for a major television network. Her platform issue is “Youth Athletics: Creating Avenues to Success” and her talent is vocal; she will perform Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary.”

Miss Clackamas County, Kathryn BurnsKathryn Elizabeth Burns, Miss Clackamas County from Beavercreek, 20, went to Colton High School before receiving her humanities associate degree from Clackamas Community College. She wishes to become a veterinary technician in a small animal hospital. Her platform issue is juvenile diabetes awareness and support, and her talent is lyrical dance. She will perform to “If I Could.”

Miss Multnomah County, Alisha MoadabAlisha Moadab, Miss Multnomah County from Portland, 23, graduated from Beaverton High School and Portland State University with a B.S. in health sciences, and attends the National College of Naturopathic Medicine. Her platform issue is nutrition for health, and her talent is Middle Eastern belly dance.

Miss Southern Oregon, Jessica MoodyJessica Moody, Miss Southern Oregon from Grants Pass, 21, graduated from Grants Pass High School and has a B.A. in business administration from Oregon State University. Her platform issue is encouraging registered voters to vote and her talent is a theatrical vocal. She will perform “Memory.”

Miss Metro East, Emily BarthaEmily Bartha, Miss Metro East from Boring, 23, graduated from Sandy High School and received a B.A. in environmental policy from Barnard College at Columbia University. Her platform issue is “Environmental Health Awareness: A Clean Environment for a Healthy World” and her talent is classical ballet on pointe. She will perform “Don Quixote.”

Miss Klamath County, Erin McFarlandErin McFarland, Miss Klamath County from Central Point, 22, graduated from Crater High School, received an associate of arts transfer degree from Lane Community College and is a senior at the Oregon Institute of Technology. Her platform is “Young American Minds: Empowering a Generation Through Identification, Diagnosis and Treatment” and her talent is the string bass. She will perform “Come Candela” by Mongo Santamaria.

Miss Rogue Valley, Stephenie SteersStephenie Steers, Miss Rogue Valley from Medford, 19, graduated from North Medford High School, has her Southern Oregon Dental Assistant Education/ Expanded Function Certification and is at Rogue Community College studying predental hygiene. Her platform is “Promoting the Importance of Oral Hygiene and the Need for Fluoride in Community Water Systems” and her talent is vocal and dance. She will perform “I Can’t Do It Alone.”

Miss Crook County, Rhea WortmanRhea Wortman, Miss Crook County from Prineville, 19, a graduate of Crook County High School, wants to attain her biology/ premed degree with a minor in political science from Eastern New Mexico University. Her platform issue is improving political education among youth and her talent is piano. She will perform “Quatre Mazurkas” by Chopin.

Miss Josephine County, Lauren EdwardsLauren Edwards, Miss Josephine County from Medford, 22, graduated from North Medford High School and attends Southern Oregon University. Her platform issue is “Breast Cancer Education: Early Awareness is Your Best Defense” and her talent is classical vocal. She will perform “Haba”era” from “Carmen.”

Miss Emerald Valley, Donilee McGinnisDonilee McGinnis, Miss Emerald Valley from Scappoose, 23, graduated from Arts and Communication High School and is a junior at Portland State University. She wants to work in the autism community as a feature story reporter and photographer. Her platform is “Autism: Advocacy and Research” and her talent is tap. She will perform “Bye Bye Blackbird.”

Miss Douglas County, Katie FrankKatie Frank, Miss Douglas County from Winchester, 22, graduated from Roseburg High School and is a psychology student at the University of Oregon. Her platform is “Mental Health Awareness and Education.” Her talent is ballet. She will perform to “Rhapsody in Blue.”

Miss Lincoln County, Cydney KellerCydney Keller, Miss Lincoln County from Waldport, 18, is a senior at Newport High School and plans to attend the University of Puget Sound this fall. Her platform issue is preventing methamphetamine abuse in rural communities and her talent is pointe dance. She will perform to “If Love Is A Crime.”

Miss Washington County, Manisha MarberryManisha Marberry, Miss Washington County from Beaverton, 19, graduated from Franklin High School and is at the University of Oregon pursuing her Bachelor of Sciences degree. Her platform issue is advocating and supporting those with developmental disabilities and her talent is vocal performance. She will perform “It Don’t Mean A Thing.”

Miss Lane County, Sarah WarnerSarah Elizabeth Warner, Miss Lane County from Albany, 22, graduated from West Albany High School and is a senior at the University of Oregon getting her bachelor’s degree in journalism. Her platform issue is “Fighting the Obesity Epidemic: Keeping Physical Education in our Schools” and her talent is jazz dance. She will perform to “All That Jazz.”

Miss Coos County, Nichole CooperNichole Cooper, Miss Coos County from Myrtle Point, 20, graduated from Myrtle Point High School and attends Southwestern Oregon Community College. Her platform issue is prevention of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease and her talent is vocal performance. She will perform “Cabaret.”

Miss Clatsop County, Jennifer GibsonJennifer A. Gibson, Miss Clatsop County from Cannon Beach, 22, graduated from Silverton High School and is seeking her associate degree from Clatsop Community College. Her platform issue is “Recruiting Caring Families for our Foster Youth: Providing their Road to Success” and her talent is a Broadway show tune. She will perform “I Enjoy Being A Girl.”

Miss North Coast, Tarah WeselyTarah Wesely, Miss North Coast from Astoria, 19, graduated from Astoria High School and hopes to attend Oregon Health and Sciences University to obtain her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and to work as a registered nurse in a medical research facility. Her platform issue is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and her talent is jazz dance. She will perform “Dude Looks Like A Lady.”

Miss Prineville, Mariah PerryMariah Perry, Miss Prineville from Prineville, 18, graduated from Crook County High School and wants to attend discipline training school and later start college at Concordia University majoring in humanities. Her platform is methamphetamines in Oregon and her talent is monologue. She will perform “Clara.”

Miss North Valley, Shaun WillardShaun Willard, Miss North Valley of Grants Pass, 18, graduated from Grants Pass High School and plans to obtain at least an associate degree in early childhood development from Rogue Community College and work in the Child Development Center at Grants Pass High School. Her platform issue is promoting premarital abstinence and her talent is lyrical/jazz dance. She will perform to “Before the Throne of God Above.”

Miss Portland, Lucy FleckLucy Fleck, Miss Portland from Portland, 19, graduated from La Salle High School and attends the University of Portland and studies business and corporate law. Her platform issue is breast cancer awareness and prevention through early detection and her talent is tap dance. She will perform to Gloria Estefan’s “Turn the Beat Around.”

Miss Tri-Valley, Rachel KirschenmannRachel Kirschenmann, Miss Tri Valley from Newberg, 22, graduated from Fort Vancouver High School and Clark Community College with an associate of arts. She attends George Fox University, studying psychology. Her platform issue is nutrition and physical activity in our youth and her talent is jazz dance. She will perform to “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”

Miss City of Sunshine, Monica BlesseMonica Blesse, Miss City of Sunshine from Medford, 22, graduated from North Medford High School and the Oregon Institute of Technology with a degree in dental hygiene. Her platform issue is “Bridging the Gap Through Mentoring Involvement and Awareness” and her talent is vocal performance. She will perform “Golden Rainbow.”