ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Despite challenging weather conditions driving on snowy, North Jersey roadways this past Saturday, Jan. 7, choreography practice was under way at the Agape Worship Center on West Street in Bloomfield. The activity by six young women and two dance instructors was in preparation for the Miss Essex County Pageant, to be staged Saturday, Jan. 28, at Bloomfield Middle School. The pageant is sponsored by the Miss Essex County Scholarship Fund.
The six contestants representing four counties — Essex, Morris, Passaic and Sussex — will compete for scholarship money and the chance to represent Essex County in the Miss New Jersey competition this summer.
One of the contestants is from Bloomfield.
The Essex County competition this year is regional and open to qualified young women in seven North Jersey counties. Other pageants in the state, leading up to the Miss New Jersey title, may have been limited to one county, open to residents of all counties, or regional. Women ages 17 to 24 were eligible to compete, with a 17-year-old contestant at least a high school senior and the 24-year-old must not turn 25 before Jan. 1, 2018.
At the BMS event, the young women will be judged in five categories with the category of talent having the most significance. Talent will determine 30 percent of a competitor’s qualification to be Miss Essex County 2017.
A private interview with the judges will be weighed as 25 percent of the final tally. There will be an onstage question that will count for 20 percent. Evening wear and swimsuit will be scored as 15 and 10 percent, respectively.
The onstage question will take place during the evening-wear competition. The question will pertain to the competitor’s “platform.” This is a community-service subject to which the young woman has a special affinity.
Now for the competitors. From a hat, each young woman picked a number to determined the order in which she would compete. The following lineup is in that order.
Justine Brooke Murray is a senior at Gill St. Bernards, in Gladstone. She is from Denville, Morris County. Her talent is singing and her platform is “Ready, Set, Vote!”
Brittany Ann Cadet is a sophomore at Essex County College. She lives in Bloomfield, Essex County. For her talent, she will dance a salsa. Her platform is breast cancer awareness.
Jennifer Woods is a registered nurse at Overlook Medical Center, Summit. She lives in North Haledon, Passaic County. Her talent will be the delivery of a monologue. “Make A Wish Foundation” is her platform.
Jessica Ervey is a sophomore at Centenary College. She lives in Andover, Sussex County, and will dance to jazz. Her platform is the Hope Garden for Domestic Abuse.
Katrina Biss is an MBA candidate at William Paterson University. She resides in Pompton Lakes, Passaic County. She will sing. Her platform is alcohol- and substance-abuse awareness.
And last but not least is Jailene Ortiz, a freshman at Eastern International College. She is from East Orange, Essex County. Her talent will be belly dancing. The United Cerebral Palsy organization is her platform.
Doors will open at 2:15 p.m. on the afternoon of the competition. The pageant starts at 3 p.m. An admittance fee will be charged.
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