Jennifer Vanko of Wadsworth is the current Miss Wadsworth. Along with Jr. Miss Wadsworth Allison Belmont and Little Miss Wadsworth Cleo Hundley, Vanko helped coordinate a food drive recently to donate food to St. Patrick's Food Pantry in Wadsworth. The three also collected 90 hats, scarves, gloves and socks, which were donated to PADS Lake County.

Name: Jennifer Vanko

Age: 18

Place of Residence: Wadsworth

Occupation: Student at Carroll University pursing a clinical doctorate in physical therapy and the current Miss Wadsworth.

Something that may surprise people about you:

I'm not what people typically think when they hear "pageant queen." I can drive a tractor and know how to change the oil and brakes and rotate the tires on a car.

Three words that describe you:

Confident, determined, goal-orientated

What are two of your hobbies:

Scrapbooking and making a difference in my community

Favorite thing about where you live: The support we get from the village.

[Village President] Glenn Ryback and the village trustees are always willing to help, and we can also count on the support of local business in our community such as: The Savanna House (Mary Bennett), The Shanty (Dimitri Kallianis) and the Mobil Station on Wadsworth Road and Route 41 (Gary Penrith).

My pageant directors, Angelique Guthrie and Sharon Bertrand, have supported me throughout my years of the Wadsworth pageant participation.

I would not be where I am today without my family, my boyfriend Alex and my friends.
 
What else is there to know about your Miss Wadsworth work and platform?

As Miss Wadsworth, my platform is breast cancer awareness. A month into my reign as queen, I hosted a car wash and raised $367. Each driver received an informational packet about breast cancer awareness. The proceeds were donated to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer.

How do Jr. Miss and Little Miss Wadsworth help you in your role?

My reign as Miss Wadsworth would not be the same without my Jr. Miss, Allison Belmont, and Little Miss Cleo Hundley. The bond my Jr., Little and myself have is a bond like no other. The time we spend together is priceless and I love every minute of it. I couldn’t ask for a better Jr. or Little.

Each of us has a cause that is important to us. Allison's is fighting hunger in Lake County. We had a food drive and went door to door collecting donations. Cleo's cause is to help find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. We hosted a car wash and participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer's.

How long have you participated in pageants?

I have been participating in pageants for the past seven years. I was Jr. Miss Wadsworth in 2008 and helped my community in as many ways as I could. In honor of breast cancer, we planted a flower garden at Wadsworth Park and hosted a princess party. The proceeds were then donated to the American Cancer Society.

What do people not realize about your role as Miss Wadsworth?

Most people think pageants are all glitz and glamor. In reality, it is overcoming your shyness, building your self-confidence and giving you the opportunity to serve your community and help those in need.

- John Puterbaugh

• Want to be the next Lake County Journal Person of the Week? Email a photo of yourself and answers to lcjedit@lakecounty.journal.com.