Struthers girl to represent Ohio in international pageant

July 13, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

By EMMALEE C. TORISK

STRUTHERS

Two years ago, when Wendy Ford first competed in a beauty pageant, she missed winning the state title by just one point.

In May, though, Wendy, now 15 and a junior at Struthers High School, finally snagged the title of Miss Teen Ohio Sunburst Queen in Columbus, beating out more than 20 girls, age 14 to 17, from across the state.

It was only the third pageant she’d ever competed in.

Subsequently, Wendy — along with her grandmother, Jolyne Ford of Struthers, and her aunt, Melissa Nicosia of Boardman — will travel to Atlanta next month for the 2013 Sunburst International Teen Pageant.

But registration fees, lodging expenses and pageant costumes don’t come cheap. All together, the trip will end up costing at least $2,000, said Wendy, an honors student who plays flute and piccolo in the school band, and is also a member of the track and cross-country teams.

“It just costs so much,” she said. “You really have to be committed.”

So, from the moment that Wendy’s family discovered she’d be moving on to the final round of the pageant, they began planning fundraisers — including two bake sales, which took place at Ginnetti’s and Morgan Oil in Struthers last month, and collectively netted about $500.

According to its Web page, Sunburst has local events throughout the year at venues around the world. The finals are held annually in Atlanta. Each contestant will be judged on beauty, overall appearance and personality.

Preparation for the pageant is pretty involved, Wendy said.

“You have to raise the money, get your name out there and get people to support you,” she said. “It’s exciting, but, at the same time, it’s a lot of hard work.”

Community support has been strong, however, said Wendy, adding that it’s nice to know that the people of her city are behind her. What she’s most excited for is the opportunity to interact with these community members at the spaghetti dinner and auction that’s scheduled for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at AMVETS Post 44.

Nicosia, who grew up in Struthers and helped to organize Wendy’s various fundraisers, said she’s thankful to everyone who has supported her niece.

“The amount of community that comes together just shows that Struthers really is a good town,” she said. “It’s a great place to grow up.”

Nicosia added that it would be nice if Wendy wins big in Atlanta, but that, really, all that matters is if she has fun.

“I tell her that every single time. I just want her to go up there and be herself,” she said. “She’s goofy and funny and a great kid.”