By SHIM LACY
Special to the Bulletin
Manteca Youth Focus is celebrating 29 years of award-winning leadership, scholarship and volunteer service with the 2023 Manteca Scholarship Competitions.
MYF plans to award $7,400 in educational scholarships this year to the 20 youth competing in three separate age divisions.
The competitions will take place during two spectacular shows on Saturday, June 24 at Crossroads Grace Community Church in Manteca.
Ages 16-20 will compete at 9:30 a.m. for the titles of Miss Manteca and Manteca City Ambassador. Ages 10-12 and 13-15 will compete at 3 p.m. for the Young ; Teen division titles.
Tickets are $20. They are available for purchase online at MantecaYouthFocus.org or at the door.
The top prizes are the titles of Miss Manteca & Manteca City Ambassador, who will each earn a $1,500 scholarship.
Additionally, MYF will also crown the next Miss Teen Manteca, Teen Manteca City Ambassador, Miss Young Manteca, and Young Manteca City Ambassador.
Additional titles will be awarded for the alternates who will represent signature events in Manteca such as the Pumpkin Fair sponsored by the Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis, the Crossroads Watermelon Street Faire sponsored by the Manteca Chamber of Commerce and Winter Fest representing various winter holiday themed events in our community.
Each contestant in the program earns a minimum scholarship based upon their age division as a participant and regardless of placement in the competition, will be installed as new members of the 2023 MYF All-Star Student Service Team.
The competition is under the direction of Douglas Scott, with co-directors Kristin Scott, Shim Lacy, Amanda Rosas and; Judi Horton.
The show will feature the reigning titleholders as well as several beloved MYF alumni who served in years past such as Matt Vaughan, Manteca City Ambassador 2004, who has hosting duties; Cheyenne
Milligan, Miss Young Manteca 2005, who will be a guest vocalist; and Tedra (Williams)
Torrice, Miss Manteca 4th of July 1991-93, who will be assisting with the on-stage
questions.
The show’s theme is “Hometown Heroes” and will also include a special treat as MYF welcomes back the “Mini Miss &; Mr. Manteca” fundraiser, where local children between the ages of 4 to 9 have the opportunity to perform on stage and will each receive a tiara or medal during the show by our Miss Manteca Molly Dua and Manteca City Ambassador Landon Wolfe.
The Manteca Scholarship Competition is a reimagining of the original Miss Manteca beauty pageant that started back in 1968 with the crowning of Karla Bishop as the first Miss Manteca by the Manteca Chamber of Commerce.
In 1994, Manteca Youth Focus was created by former Miss Manteca director, Carol Suarez, and Lacy, a former Miss Manteca 4th of July 1990. They took over the reins from the Manteca 4th of July Committee and transformed the former beauty pageant into a youth leadership and development program which in the last 29 years has awarded over $100,000 in educational scholarships.
The program now includes boys and girls who compete in six phases of competition including Volunteer Service, Academic Achievement, Personality Interview, Community Advocacy Speech, Talent and On-Stage Questions.
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 info@MantecaYouthFocus.org or visit www.MantecaYouthFocus.org.
Miss Manteca 2023 Contestants
*Paris Ferrill
Age: 17
School: Stanislaus State University
Advocacy Project: Orphan Kitten Rescue - Hosting adoption events, raising funds for vaccines, food, and extra needed supplies.
Stage Arts: Jazz Dance
Sponsor: Dr. Masood Cajee DDS MPH, BumpBoxx, Tandoori Grill Indian Cuisine, Leonard Photography, and Prime Market
*Alyssa Dominguez
Age: 17
School: East Union High School
Advocacy Project: The Care Closet / East Union High School – helping underprivileged students by hosting fundraisers, donations, and drives to collect food, clothes, and supplies
Stage Arts: Sign Language Demo
Sponsor: Manteca Bedquarters
● M3 Sheen Gupta
Age: 16
School: Sierra High School
Advocacy Project: Boys & Girls Clubs of Manteca and Lathrop - Library Lift Off
event to gather books and funds for the club's library.
Stage Arts: Bollywood Dance
Sponsor: Family & Friends
* Elizabeth Neuner
Age: 16
School: Sierra High School
Advocacy Project: Agape Villages Foster Family Agency — donating night lights, blankets, stuffed animals, slippers, and other personal comfort items Stage Arts: Science Experiment.
Sponsor: Monkey RV amp; Auto Service, Inc., Josh Neuner & Son’s Fencing, Dr. Trang Duong DDS MS, Dani Bettencourt with Bettencourt Real Estate Group, Grandma & Grandpa Neuner, and Aunt Lisa
*Mallory Myers
Age: 16
School: Joseph A. Gregori High School in Modesto
Advocacy Project: Precious in His Sight (PHS) — hosting a remembrance walk to raise funds to assist with funeral costs for families that have lost an infant
Stage Arts: Flute
Sponsor: Jeff Zellner with Manteca Insurance & Financial Services
*Annabelle Hickman
Age: 16
School: private homeschool
Advocacy Project: Ray of Hope — gathering school supplies and clothing
Stage Arts: Vocal
Sponsor: Dairy Queen Manteca
Manteca City Ambassador 2023 Candidates (
* Erfan Ballew
Age: 17
School: Sierra High School
Advocacy Project: Hope Ministries, Inc. — reducing food waste at Sierra High School by redirecting surplus food to those in need Stage Arts: Poetry Reading
Sponsor: David Breitenbucher
*Ace Sulek
Age: 17
School: Manteca High School
Advocacy Project: Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle — making hygiene kits for the homeless
Stage Arts: Guitar & vocal
Sponsor: The Sulek Family and California Live Floors
Miss Teen Manteca 2023 Contestants
*T1 Saige Carstersen
Age: 15
School: Venture Academy TEACH with the San Joaquin County Office of Education
Advocacy Project: Happy Pet Owners — cat rescue & foster
Stage Arts: Acro Dance
Sponsor: Tammy Carstersen
* Deziree Valladarez
Age: 14
School: Manteca High School
Advocacy Project: City of Manteca Animal Shelter - Assisting with caretaking
Stage Arts: Ballet Folklorico
Sponsor: Rose Garcia
* Sophie Cockriel
Age: 15
School: Ripon High School
Advocacy Project: Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle — pack & donate shower shuttle bags of hygiene products to give to the less fortunate
Stage Arts: Cheer Dance
Sponsor: The Cockriel Family
*Kennedy Mcleod
Age: 14
School: East Union High School
Advocacy Project: Hope Ministries, Inc. — hosting drives to collect hygiene and housekeeping supplies for the women and children living at Raymus House
Stage Arts: Monologue
Sponsor: Coenenberg Family Law
Teen Manteca City Ambassador 2022 Candidate
*Trenton Bradshaw
Age: 13
School: Stella Brockman Elementary School
Advocacy Project: Cpl. Charles O. Palmer Memorial Troop Support Program
(MTSP) - helping the organization and raising $500 for the shipping costs for
sending personal care packages overseas
Stage Arts: Trombone
Sponsor: Manteca Property Services, Dr. John Trueb DDS, Glenda Herrera
Realtor for Crossroads Real Estate, and Michael Cross
Miss Young Manteca 2022 Contestants
*Kayleigh Douglas
Age: 12
School: Walter Woodward Elementary School
Advocacy Project: KAFA: Kayleigh Advocating for Animals - providing local animal shelters with animal supplies
Stage Arts: Cheer Dance
Sponsor: JS West & Companies
* Yannis Ang
Age: 11
School: Park View Elementary School in Ripon
Advocacy Project: Cpl. Charles O. Palmer Memorial Troop Support Program — collecting packages of sweet treats to donate and helping pack in troop care Packages
Stage Arts: Piano
Sponsor: Dr. Calvin Lee, MD of Surgical Artistry
*Madison Motzkus
Age: 11
School: New Haven Elementary School
Advocacy Project: Local Manteca Animal Shelters - hosting a four-legged fashion show to raise money and awareness for animal adoptions
Stage Arts: Vocal
Sponsor: Crystal Motzkus with Mane & Co Salon
*Morgan Silva
Age: 11
School: Joshua Cowell Elementary School
Advocacy Project: Walter Woodward Elementary School & Donation Station to collect school supplies
Stage Arts: Cheer Dance
Sponsor: D&SCustoms
* Avani Shaw
Age: 10
School: Joshua Cowell Elementary School
Advocacy Project: Ray of Hope Children's Crisis Services - collecting toys for children in need
Stage Arts: Story Telling w/ Puppets
Sponsor: Prime Market
Young Manteca City Ambassador 2023 Candidates
Caden Stephens
Age: 12
School: Delta Charter Homeschool based out of Tracy
Advocacy Project: Pets & Pals Animal Shelter - helping the animals to be comforted and feel loved
Stage Arts: Trombone
Sponsor: Crystal Motzkus with Mane & Co Salon and GK Music
* Jacob Russell
Age: 10
School: Great Valley Academy Homeschool based out of Salida
Advocacy Project: Cpl. Charles O. Palmer Memorial Troop Support Program - helping put together personal care packages for people in the military
Stage Arts: Acro Demo
Sponsor: David Russell, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
