By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Del Rio’s royalty was infused with some new blood Saturday night as the newest members of the Miss Del Rio Court were crowned.
Five young ladies were introduced for the first time as the 2022-23 Miss Del Rio Court was officially decided via the annual Miss Del Rio Pageant held at the Paul Poag Theatre for the Performing Arts. The event, overseen by the International Good Neighbor Council Del Rio Chapter and typically held the first week of October, is the official kickoff for the Fiesta de Amistad events held throughout the month.
The Lil Miss Del Rio Court was the first to be introduced. Each of the three young ladies to comprise the court did not have to participate in the events the contestants for the Miss Del Rio Teen and Miss Del Rio did.
Kalista Rose Maldonado, the daughter of Fernando and Krista Maldonado, was crowned Little Miss Del Rio.
Jacqueline Paniagua, the daughter of Abel and Donna Paniagua, was crowned Junior Miss Del Rio.
Mariana Alexis Almeda, the daughter of Miguel and Marta Almeda, was crowned Pre Teen Miss Del Rio.
Like their older counterparts, each girl received a crown, a sash and a bouquet of flowers before taking their first walks as royalty.
Competing for Miss Del Rio Teen were Dallas Isabella Smith Tamayo and Rebeca Camposano.
Tamayo won the Fan Favorite award, determined by the most amount of money collected from fans during the pageant through donations in marked boxes. Camposano, the daughter of Ricardo and Veronica Camposano, was crowned the new Miss Del Rio Teen.
Competing for Miss Del Rio were Mixari Rogel, Victoria Valdez and Jaclyn Adams.
Valdez earned the Miss Photogenic Award, and Adams, the daughter of Jesus and Ercilia Adams, won the title of Miss Del Rio and was also named Miss Congeniality.
The pageant was as much a celebration of the former Miss Del Rio court as it was a celebration of the new court. Each member of the former court – Miss Del Rio Pre-Teen Jazel Elena Sanchez, Miss Del Rio Teen Elie Abrego Zavala, Miss Del Rio Nayeli Duran, Junior Miss Del Rio Zoey Lamar Leyendecker and Little Miss Del Rio Alessandra Gomez Moreno – got their opportunity to take their final walks and accept the accolades of the fans and family members in attendance. Some, like Zavala, ended the night with an armful of flowers and eyes full of tears as the emotions on their final night as members of the Miss Del Rio Court ran heavy.
Contestants took part in a variety of events such as the opening dance number, the teen active wear competition for Miss Del Rio Teen contestants and the swimsuit competition for the Miss Del Rio contestants, the evening gown competition and the onstage question.
Hosts Sammy Mireles and Michelle Gonzalez kept the event moving along but also helped keep the contestants loose with some humor. When Camposano was asked was what the first thing she would eat after the pageant, she answered quickly with cheesecake but added chicken nuggets because they were small and quick to eat.
The onstage questions varied as contestants drew a number from a bowl and the corresponding number was the number of the judge who would ask the question.
Tamayo was asked what law would she break if she could without getting caught and why. She answered she would pay for someone’s medical insurance or pay for their insulin, which is illegal under federal and state laws. She also said gather up stray animals and give them homes because of her love of animals.
Camposano was asked how she could make this community more environmentally friendly. She recommended reusable bags, as they do in Ciudad Acuña, and cutting down paper use in schools by utilizing more online resources and reusable resources.
Rogel was asked if social media has helped or hurt society. She said social media could be seen from both sides, good and bad, but said it depends on the person using it. She said she utilizes it to communicate with friends, learn new things and stay in touch with family.
Valdez was asked about student loan forgiveness and whether or not it was fair the middle class would have to pay for the move. She said she felt it was a good idea because it would allow people to finish college and get a job without being saddled with debt that could follow them for the rest of their lives.
Adams was asked her view on the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She said she felt women had the right to do what they wanted with their bodies without the government interfering. “At the end it’s our decision,” Adams said to a large response of applause.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
