Mike Sciacca, Independent
Randi Lynne Galbraith was among eight girls left standing center stage
of the Huntington Beach High School auditorium late Saturday night,
anticipating the announcement of who would be crowned the winner of the
2002 Miss Huntington Beach Scholarship Pageant.
"When I got into this pageant, I thought it would be fun just to
place," the 17-year-old Marina High senior said. "When they announced the
second and first runners-up, my only thought was, 'gee, I wonder which of
these other girls are going to be announced as Miss Huntington Beach."'
What Galbraith didn't count on was that the panel of judges would call
her number.
After a few tense seconds, contestant No. 4 was announced as the new
Miss Huntington Beach. The winner threw her hands up to her mouth, let
out a small cry of disbelief, then beamed as she received her crown,
sash, flowers and trophy.
It was Galbraith, who won the crown in her first ever attempt in
entering a pageant.
"I was a bit shocked and overwhelmed but didn't cry," she said. "I was
just very, very happy. My friends rushed up to the stage to congratulate
me. It was wonderful."
The first runner-up to Galbraith was Huntington Beach High senior
Lynette Marie Hibben, 17, and second runner-up was Orange Coast College
student Bridget Nicole Dixon, 19.
Eleven young women vied for the title.
Galbraith will go on to represent Huntington Beach in the 2002 Miss
California Pageant July 10-13 in Fresno. A win there would send her to
next September's Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.
One contestant who said she was thrilled for the winner was first
runner-up Hibben, who has known Galbraith since the sixth grade.
Hibben was a double winner Saturday as she also was named Miss
Photogenic.
"I am thrilled for Randi and excited and ecstatic with my placing,"
said Hibben who, just last May, also was named as first runner-up in the
Miss Southern California Teen Pageant.
The theme of this year's pageant," 2002, Surf City Revue," included
all 11 candidates performing an opening number to the song, California
Girls. The young women were then judged and scored in three categories:
swimwear, which counted for 15 points, talent (40 points), personal
interview (30 points) and evening wear (15 points).
Preliminary interviews took place the morning of the pageant, said
Galbraith, whose platform was, "Community Service -- Teens Volunteering.
She has an extensive background in community service: among her
