By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Miss Manteca, All-Star Team reign nears end
miss manteca 2021
Photo by Chris Leonard Photography Manteca City Ambassador 2021 Scott Whitby and Miss Manteca 2021 Arveen Birdi

Imagine being crowned queen of the Pumpkin Fair?

Or making history representing an entirely reimagined event like the Crossroads Watermelon Street Faire? Or reign supreme over the Manteca Twilight Holiday Parade?

Or have the chance to interact with elected officials and other business & community leaders?

 Local youth participants with Manteca Youth Focus have been doing just that for nearly three decades. These students are between the ages of 10-20 from across the greater Manteca community including the city of Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop and communities of River Islands, French Camp, and Weston Ranch.

They have taken advantage of the opportunity to earn their share of the more than $100,000 in educational scholarships awarded over the past 28 years while gaining leadership skills and volunteer service hours as a part of the Manteca Youth Focus All-Star Team.

While other beauty pageants may offer prizes for runners-up, and promote modeling and photogenic qualities, MYF is a robust scholarship competition for boys and girls which has no phase of competition related to modeling or physical beauty. Instead, contestants in the MYF competitions are judged in 6 well-rounded phases of competition including Volunteer Service, Academic Achievement, Personality Interview, Community Advocacy Speech, Stage Arts and Impromptu Question. Boys earn medals and “ambassador” titles while girls earn crowns, sashes and “miss” titles.

Six young people led the MYF All-Star Team this year as the “city” titleholders and include Miss Manteca – Arveen Birdi, Manteca City Ambasador - Scott Whitby, Miss Teen Manteca – Mallory Myers, Teen Manteca City Ambassador - Landon Wolfe, Miss Young Manteca – Ariceli McBroom, and Young Manteca City Ambassador - Trenton Bradshaw. 

MYF is also unique in that it offers titles to the runners-up in the program so that more students can benefit from the valuable leadership opportunities offered by serving at signature events.

The first runners-up in each of the 3 age divisions serve as the “Pumpkin Fair” titleholders and represent the Manteca Pumpkin Fair. Their scholarships are partially sponsored by the Manteca-Sunrise Kiwanis Club. The current reigning Pumpkin Fair include Miss Pumpkin Fair – Molly Dua, Miss Teen Pumpkin Fair - Brooklynn Cockriel, and Miss Young Pumpkin Fair – Malynne Myers. The 2nd alternate in last year’s teen competition was named Miss Teen Winter Fest - which went to Alani Mullenix. Additionally, an entirely new scholarship was added in December 2021 in partnership with the Manteca Chamber of Commerce resulting in the appointment of Elizabeth Neuner as the very first Miss Watermelon Street Faire.

MYF Board of Directors, Competition Director Douglas Scott, and co-directors Kristin Scott, Amanda Durbin & Shim Lacy commended the 2021 MYF All-Star Team on their service to the community at their recent “Reaching for the Stars” Leadership Awards Ceremony.

“These young people, working alongside our adult volunteers, contributed over 6,750 hours of volunteer service this past year attending community events all over Northern and Central California,” remarked Director, Douglas Scott.

Each of the All-Star Team members were given the opportunity to plan and carry out a “community advocacy project” to address a need in the community. Additionally, they each earned a scholarship from MYF and a President’s Volunteer Service Award from the Points of Light Foundation that included a letter signed by Joe Biden, President of the United States. Advocacy project topics varied widely based upon the passion and interests of the team and included:

  • Miss Manteca, Arveen Birdi didn’t just complete one project. She made history by completing one each and every month of her reign as Miss Manteca. She collected everything from books to backpacks, from jeans to baby supplies, for a wide array of organizations such as Give Every Child A Chance, Ray of Hope, and HOPE Ministries; she donated treats to our police and fire department; she refurbished the historic Miss Manteca display at the Manteca Historical Museum; and that was in addition to all her “regular” duties as Miss Manteca. She received a $1,500 educational scholarship and gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award.
  • Manteca City Ambassador, Scott Whitby completed his advocacy project with the “Happiness Habits” program providing free activity totes for senior living homes and leading instructional workshops at Kiwanis conventions to help clubs grow the program. He received a $1,500 educational scholarship and gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award.
  • Miss Teen Manteca, Mallory Myers fundraised to assist Parkview Cemetery to support families who have suffered tragic loss of an infant with financial support for burial costs. She also partnered with Birdi on a second project, “Jeans for Teens,” donating over 100 pairs of jeans to Ray of Hope Children’s Crisis and Resource Services of San Joaquin County. She received  a $500 educational scholarship and silver-level President’s Volunteer Service Award.
  • Teen Manteca City, Ambassador Landon Wolfe successfully completed his advocacy project with Valley Children’s Hospital to provide games and toys for children receiving medical care. He received a $500 educational scholarship and gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award.
  • Miss Young Manteca, Ariceli McBroom completed her advocacy project for HOPE Ministries collecting coats for 12 families (40 adults and children) who are residents at the shelters. She received  a $200 educational scholarship and gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award.
  • Young Manteca City Ambassador, Trenton Bradshaw completed his advocacy project by continuing his volunteer work with the Cpl. Charles O. Palmer II Memorial Troop Support Program recruiting volunteers, organizing care package materials, packing care packages and loading trucks for postal delivery. He received a $200 educational scholarship and gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award.
  • Miss Pumpkin Fair Molly Dua collaborated for the 6th year in a row with Agape Villages Foster Family Agency for her “Project Hugs” collection drive. She collects backpacks filled with school supplies as well as a pajama drive for children in foster care. She received  a gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award and $500 educational scholarship.
  • Miss Teen Pumpkin Fair Brooklynn Cockriel completed her project with the “B the Change” initiative which she founded to provide volunteer service and funding for a wide variety of charitable causes. Her fundraising efforts in 2021 totaled $200 and she chose MYF as the beneficiary of her annual B the Change Award. She received  a $250 educational scholarship and gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award. 
  • Miss Young Pumpkin Fair Malynne Myers completed her advocacy project with Manteca Animal Shelter coordinating a pet care supply drive. She received gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award and $100 educational scholarship.
  • Miss Watermelon Street Faire Elizabeth Neuner completed her advocacy project with Agape Villages Foster Family Agency when she collected over 100 pairs of pajamas for children in the foster care system. She earned a $75 educational scholarship as a participant in the 2021 scholarship competition and received an additional $250 scholarship from the Chamber of Commerce for her service as the faire queen. She also received a gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award
  • Miss Teen Winter Fest Alani Mullenix received a $125 educational scholarship and silver-level President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Fifteen  outstanding young people of achievement will compete this Saturday, June 18,  at 2 p.m. at Cornerstone Community Church in Manteca to be part of the next All Star team. Tickets are j$20 and available for purchase online at MantecaYouthFocus.org or at the door.

Manteca Youth Focus programs are open to youth between the ages of 10-20 from the greater Manteca community which includes the cities of Manteca, Lathrop & Ripon and the communities of French Camp, Weston Ranch (South Stockton) and River Islands.

For more information on MYF programs please contact Shim Lacy, 2021 MYF Board President, at 209-518-3915, email ShimLacy@gmail.com or visit www.MantecaYouthFocus.org.