MANSFIELD — Shocked. That’s how Miss Portsmouth Alice Magoto summed up her reaction to being named this year’s Miss Ohio.
“I’m going to Miss America,” she exclaimed during a press conference following the competition at the Renaissance Theatre on Saturday night.
The 18-year-old of Cincinnati competed in the Miss Ohio’s Outstanding Teen competition last year, placing fourth runner-up. Fast forward to 2016, she bested 19 other Miss Ohio contestants.
“I knew this was where I was meant to be,” she said of the Miss Ohio program.
Grinning ear to ear, she was wearing the dress she wore to prom as she addressed the crowd.
She graduated from Seton High School in Cincinnati and will attend Chapman University in California with a major in political science.
In addition to a sparkly new crown, she received a $10,000 scholarship from The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and will have the chance to compete in the Miss America Scholarship Program in Atlantic City this fall.
Magoto said she’s looking forward to promoting her platform during her reign. “My platform is Healthy Confidence: The New Definition of Beauty, and since I am 18, I’m able to be a relevant voice for my generation and make sure that I’m talking to girls my age about confidence issues and how they can overcome them,” she said.
Preliminaries were held Thursday and Friday nights. The competition includes different phases (talent, eveningwear, swimsuit, onstage question and private interviews) that account for varying percentages of the final score.
According to Miss Ohio 2015 Sarah Hider, the Miss Ohio competition is responsible for awarding $42,000 in scholarships to contestants.
First runner-up, Miss Miami Valley Hannah Zimmerman, received a $4,000 scholarship.
Second runner-up, Miss Clayland Karolina Ulasevich, received a $3,500 scholarship.
Third runner-up, Miss Northwestern Ohio Hayley Hesselschwardt, received a $3,000 scholarship.
Fourth runner-up, Miss Montgomery County Sarah Clapper, received a $2,500 scholarship.
The remaining top 11 included Miss Mansfield Lexi Richter, Miss North Central Ohio Amelia Hitchens, Miss Buckeye Caitlyn Wallhead, Miss Heart of Ohio Paige Wiers, Miss North Coast Stephanie Yasechko, and Miss Lake Festival Veronica Wende.
