Sewickley Teen Participates in Miss Teen Pageant

A Sewickley teen is set to participate today in the 2013 Miss Teen pageant in Pittsburgh.

Samantha Minoski, 15, was selected in October to compete in the Miss Teen pageant, after completing an application and an interview. The competition has four divisions for girls ages seven through 19.

If all goes well, the Quaker Valley High School sophomore could win a scholarship. She would also go to Orlando to represent the area in the national pageant, where more than $30,000 in prizes will be awarded.

“We're excited about it,” said Tina Minoski, Samantha's mother. 

Minoski, a single mom, is active duty in the Army Reserves, where her daughter volunteers with their youth program. Samantha also participates four days a week with the Coyotes, a competitive cheerleading and hip-hop dance group in the Moon-Coraopolis area.

At school, she's a member of the marching and concert band, the German and Japanese culture clubs and participates in track and field. But pageants are new ground for Samantha.

“It's definitely out of her comfort zone,” Minoski said.

Contestants participated in training classes and rehearsal with the focus being on personal self-enhancement and modeling. In addition to a personality-interview with the judges, Samantha will have to strap on high heels today to compete in formal wear and she'll compete in the casual competition.

Businesses, organizations or private individuals provided sponsorships for the pageant. Samatha's sponsors were Keystone Construction and restoration, LLC, Brandon Cahall, general partner; and Mary Gordon and Sandy Moore, in living memory of Jonathan Gordon.