League crowns Miss Cinderella 2018

BOARDMAN

The Junior Civic League of Youngstown recently crowned Kaia Joi Anderson Miss Cinderella 2018 during its 63rd annual Cinderella Ball at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Hall in Boardman. This year’s theme was “Fairy Tales Do Come True,” which reflects the vision of the league’s founding members more than 66 years ago.

Anderson is the daughter of Dawne C. Anderson and Derrick H. Anderson, and her grandparents are Lucille Pickard, William Meeks III, Debra Shivers and the late Warren William Anderson. She is a student at Youngstown Rayen Early College and plans to attend Central State University to major in business administration. A motivational quote by Maya Angelou is one of Anderson’s favorites: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.” She was presented by her father and escorted by Daryl Smith Jr., Girard High School.

The court included Autumn B. Stanford, Boardman High School, first attendant, escorted by Melvin Tyriese Neail, Valley Christian High School; and Asia L. Hobbs, Ursuline High School, second attendant, escorted by Jordan Michael Weatherly, Campbell Memorial High School. The three winners will be awarded scholarships in June at the Junior Civic League scholarship luncheon.

Other debutantes and their escorts were Norrine Burch and Jarred Allen, both of Ursuline High School; Aunnasia Calhoun and Isaiah Cochrane, Cardinal Mooney High School; Geordyn Conne, Ursuline, and Kristopher Winford, Mooney; Desirae Hairston and Zacharia Simon, Ursuline; Keemyah Hawkins, Youngstown Rayen Early College, and Kashon Wright, East High School; Alaiya Jones, Struthers High School, and Blaine Spires, East; Nina King (honorary debutante), Campbell Memorial High School, and Keilan Jefferson, Struthers; Sonya Lenoir, Youngstown Early College, and Ezell Brown, Liberty High School; Kaliyah Long, Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, and Isaiah Carter, Valley Christian High School; JaNyaha McCaskill, Austintown Fitch High School, and Semaj Williams, East; Sarah Ross and Herbert Davis, both of Liberty; Gianna Schroeder and Davion Jones, both of Ursuline; Briana Stevens, Ursuline, and Bray Donlow, Hubbard High School.

Khalyeo Bonner, Fitch. and Kyler Morgan and Kyree Morgan, both of Ursuline, served as pages.

Amber Bowie, Miss Cinderella 2017, also attended and spoke to the assembly.

The chairwoman of the event was Charmaine Bracy; co-chairwoman was Sylvia Rupert; and Jenita J. Gillespie is the JCL president.

The JCL’s next fundraising event will be its eighth annual Mardi Gras that will take place March 2, 2019, at Avion on the Water in Canfield.