Brooke Diaz	Debbe Ebben	Samantha Hardee
Heather Lipscomb	Candice Lowndes	Christina Roper
Summer Snodgrass	Katherine Stein	Michelle Wilkins

The theme of this year's pageant was “Brains, Beauty and Beyond,” said event director Alisa Parrent, adding that Snodgrass performed a violin solo and based her service platform on breast cancer awareness in pursuit of her title.

Parrent said nine women from the Chugiak-Eagle River area participated in the pageant and earned a variety of titles and recognition.

Michelle Wilkins, 20, who performed a lyrical jazz dance and encouraged youth involvement in extracurricular activities as her platform, was crowned Miss Birchwood 2007, she said.

The Miss America Organization also offers an Outstanding Teen program for girls ages 13 to 17, Parrent said. Brooke Diaz, 14, performed a monologue and created a platform based on the importance of personal responsibility and accountability and earned the title of the Miss Chugiak-Eagle River Outstanding Teen, she said.

Parrent said additional recognition was given to Candice Lowndes for the Top Ticket Sales Award; Michelle Wilkins and Samantha Hardee for the Top Ad Sales Award; Summer Snodgrass and Brooke Diaz for the Crowd Pleaser Award; Michelle Wilkins and Heather Lipscomb for the Evening Gown Award; Summer Snodgrass and Brooke Diaz for the Talent Award; and Christina Roper for Miss Congeniality.

Dorothy Gilmore was also honored as Queen Regent for more than 20 years service as the pageant bookkeeper, she said.

Reach the reporter at news@alaskastar.com.

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, December 7, 2006.