SACRAMENTO — Taylor Paige Butler, formerly of Lakeport has claimed another crown.
The reigning Miss Lake County was crowned Miss Sacramento County 2010 on Jan. 23. Butler will represent Sacramento County at the Miss California Pageant, held in Fresno in July.
Butler now lives in Sacramento where she attends Sacramento State University as a junior. The July competition will be her second appearance in the Miss California Pageant.
“Most of the girls that go to the Miss California Pageant do better their second or third time there. So, I”m really looking forward to my second appearance in the contest because now I have better idea of what the judges are looking for,” Butler said. “I”ve been focusing on perfecting my interview skills, which really paid off because I received the Outstanding Interview Award in the Sacramento competition.”
Along with the Sacramento crown, Butler received a $1,000 scholarship award. She garnered an additional $100 for winning the Outstanding Interview Award as well. She competed among a field of five other young women.
Butler”s pageant platform focuses on the importance of engaging in community service. “I think that community involvement is the backbone to a strong community,” she said. “Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses and when we all work together every void can be filled.”
Butler has given of herself immensely to the Lake County community. She is a founding member of the Lake County youth anti-tobacco coalition, STOMP; served as a co-worship leader; and actively participated in Lake County Office of Education”s Leadership Boot Camp and its Youth Leadership Summit in 2003. She was recipient of the 2006 Lake County Stars Hero of the Year Award as well.
Sandra Orchid, co-executive director of the Miss Lake County Scholarship Program said that the second runner-up in the January competition in Sacramento, Michelle Wells, also hails from Lake County. Wells, who is currently attending the University of the Pacific ? McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, also won the Community Service Award.
“The Miss Lake County Scholarship Program is very proud to have been a part of mentoring these young women and helping them in attaining their educational goals,” Orchid said.
Butler said scholarship opportunities are wonderful incentives. “I”m really looking forward to getting scholarship money from the Miss California competition,” she said. “These scholarships bring me closer to obtaining my degree.”
Butler not only excels in beauty but also academically. She graduated high school at age 16 as valedictorian of Excell Private High School. At 17, she was the youngest person in the Mendocino College 2007 graduating class. She said she skipped grades seven and 11 due to excellent SAT scores and a surplus of credits due to excellence in college courses.
Contact South County reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
