2010 Miss West Virginia, Outstanding Teen crowned

Dance numbers, glittering ball gowns, costume changes and swimsuits – the Miss West Virginia Scholarship Organization hit the stage at the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center last week.

Cali Young, Miss Northern West Virginia, won Miss West Virginia 2010, as well as the talent portion of the preliminary competition. Lacey Cyphers was crowned Miss W.Va.'s Outstanding Teen 2010 after three days of preliminary competition in interviews, evening gowns, talent and an active wear outfit.

The misses were judged on an interview question, evening gown, talent and swimsuits.

Young's discussion platform was "stay young," which focused on anti-tobacco use message in the state.

"Thank you, West Virginia," Young said in her on-stage interview after the crowning.

Young will compete for the title of Miss America at Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas on Jan. 15.

The combined Miss West Virginia and Miss West Virginia Outstanding Teen Pageants held preliminaries June 23 and ended with the live television broadcast of the winner Saturday.

This year was the first time both pageants were combined into one show and crowning.

"This will be the second year it (the pageant) was broadcast live on television," said Cindy Coffindaffer, vice president of the Miss West Virginia Organization.

Morgantown held the pageant for the sixth time, and this was the fifth year the CAC hosted it.

Approximately 400 to 500 guests attended the final night of the pageant.

The organization is run on a volunteer basis, for year round help in local pageants, planning the show and helping the girls get ready, said Leah Summers, executive director and the 1991 Miss West Virginia.

"It's been a fantastic relationship; it's probably a production that's not exactly like anything they've done before," she said. "They've truly become part of our pageant family, and we've had them working with us for five or six years."

Summers said she loved having the pageant in Morgantown because it is like having it in her backyard.

Forty-one contestants – 16 teens and 25 Misses – competed statewide for local titles before the state-wide pageant.

Eight of the contestants currently attend or recently graduated from WVU.

"All the girls (Misses) are staying at the Sigma Kappa house for ten days," said Emily Shaffer, senior biochemistry major and fifth runner-up. "It's good to be a little bit nervous, I've prepared for this, but now I'm just enjoying the fruits of my labor."

Brittni McGuire contributed to this report.