Miss Ohio wins talent award

HOWLAND -- Though she didn't make the final cut, Miss Ohio did walk away a winner.
Amanda Beagle, of Howland, the reigning Miss Ohio, was named a Non-Finalist Talent Award winner at the Miss America pageant, which took place last weekend in Atlantic City.
The 24-year-old Beagle did not place in the top 10 finalists for the Sept. 18 televised pageant, but she was honored for her operatic performance of "Quando me n'vo" from Giacomo Puccini's "La Boheme." Beagle was awarded a $2,000 scholarship for the performance.
She also received a $5,000 scholarship for representing Ohio in the Miss America competition.
The talent competition was eventually won by Miss California, who performed a self-choreographed dance.
Beagle, who graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor's degree in vocal performance, plans to study for her master's degree in vocal performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She plans to become a professional opera singer.
In interviews for The Vindicator before the competition, Beagle said her greatest accomplishment to date was a personal invitation from maestro Lorenzo Malfatti to attend the opera training program at the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca in Italy.
Beagle will spend the next year touring the Buckeye State performing duties related to her Miss Ohio crown.