By SHIM LACY

Special to the Bulletin

Manteca Youth Focus (MYF) is an award-winning non-profit organization.

 They are the group responsible for the annual Miss Manteca and Manteca City Ambassador competition.

Since its inception in 1994, MYF has awarded over $150,000 in educational scholarships to youth from the greater Manteca community.

The MYF Board was thrilled to host their 11th annual Mini Manteca Fun Camp, a signature fundraiser for the MYF scholarship fund.

This program for boys and girls between the ages of 4 to 9, offers young children the opportunity to learn about MYF and the program values

of kindness and service. The MYF prince and princess fundraisers are a series of non-competitive recreational activities to help a new generation of children learn about MYF programs and core values of kindness, leadership and service in a wholesome and fun environment.

Led by MYF co-founder, Shim Lacy, the camp held last Saturday included a “fun camp” with games, crafts and activities followed by a “showcase” where the mini campers were featured in a dance, patriotic fashion runway and on-stage interview.

They were each “crowned” with the honorary title of Mini Miss and Mr. Manteca.

 Each girl was crowned by Miss Manteca Sheen Gupta and Miss Young Manteca Yannis Ang and received a custom sash and star tiara and each boy received a special medallion from Teen Manteca City Ambassador Trenton Bradshaw.

Eighteen boys and girls were awarded their tiaras and medals at the camp including: Viyan Pattanashetti (age 6), James Neuner (age 9), Matthew McDonald (age 5 from Stockton), Olivia McDonald (age 4 from Stockton), Carolyn Monteiro (age 4), Natalia Castaneda (age 4 from Stockton), Anvi Mishra (age 5), Dhiyanshi Jethwani (age 5) Aadhya Sharma (age 6), Ridhwi Verma (6), Athena Brown (age 6), Amelia Castaneda (age 7 from Stockton), Bianca Rijal Pandit (age 7), Amreen Gill (age 7), Shivika Joshi (age 7), Olivia Robinson (age 9), Samaira Jain (age 9), and Shanaya Jain (age 9)

Other MYF titleholders who also assisted as “camp counselors” at the event included Mallory Myers — Miss Pumpkin Fair, Kayleigh Douglas, Miss Young Pumpkin Fair, Elizabeth Neuner — Miss Watermelon Street Faire, and Alyssa Dominguez - Miss Winter Fest.

Leading the craft, games & activities were the members of the MYF All-Star Student Service Team which included: Charis Ang, Darsh Joshi, Tabreesha Katyal, Yatharth Katyal, Shaurya Khairmode, Harsh Konduru, Harshith Kumar, Spandan Nikam, Kush Patel, Ved Pattanashetti, Anvi Sharma, Avani Shaw, and Abhavya Verma. Other visiting royalty at the event included Claire Carroll — Teen Miss Asparagus Festival and Judi Horton - Elite Ms. Asparagus Festival. Horton also serves as MYF board president and stage director for the showcase.

The New Mini Miss and Mr. Manteca’s will all be welcomed as VIP’s at the upcoming MYF Scholarship Competitions.

The MYF Board of Directors invites the community to attend all three shows which features 35 outstanding young people of achievement competing for their share of more than $9,000 in educational scholarships.

The competition on Friday, June 28 at 7 p.m. features contestants ages 16-20 competing for the titles of Miss Manteca and Manteca City Ambassador.

On Saturday, June 29 at 10 a.m., contestants ages 10-12 will compete for the titles of Miss Young Manteca and Young Manteca City Ambassador and later that afternoon contestants ages 13-15 will compete to be the next Miss Teen Manteca and Teen Manteca City Ambassador.

All three shows take place at Cornerstone Community Church in Manteca.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children and available for purchase online at MantecaYouthFocus.org.

Limited tickets may be available at the door, space permitting.

Manteca Youth Focus programs are open to youth between the ages of 9-20 from the greater Manteca community which includes the cities of Manteca, Ripon, Lathrop and the communities of River Islands, French Camp, and Weston Ranch (South Stockton).

For more information on MYF programs email MantecaYouthFocus@gmail.com or visit www.MantecaYouthFocus.org.