Thursday, Jul. 02, 2009

Miss Tri-Cities fine-tunes her talent for state pageant

By Dalina Castellanos, Herald staff writer

The trademark orange apron from Home Depot might seem unlikely garb for a Miss Washington contestant, but it's exactly what Miss Tri-Cities Kyna Harris was sporting before a Miss Tri-Cities pageant rehearsal.

But Harris isn't what you'd expect a pageant queen to be in many ways -- the winner's crown and sash aren't usually associated with disc golf either, but she makes it work.

A relative "newbie" to pageants, Harris, who grew up training pigs on a Pasco farm, entered the circuit three years ago with the sole intention of winning a scholarship.

"My mom said, 'Hey, you've got a talent, why not try out?' " Harris said.

After being fourth-runner-up in 2006, Harris noticed she had gained confidence and experience and decided to try again.

At the 2007 pageant, she won $4,000 as first-runner-up and saw an opportunity to raise awareness for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, something she has been dealing with since third grade.

When she won the title last year, she had the opportunity to promote her platform and inform people about the disorder, talking to Kiwanis and the Rotary Club and sharing her own experiences with school children.

Her most rewarding moments have come when kids think, "hey, she has (ADHD) and she's not so bad. I have it, so I must not be so bad," Harris said.

And now is the time to compete at the next level -- the Miss Washington pageant.

Being Miss Tri-Cities has opened doors for Harris. The $10,000 scholarship she won is helping pay for her bachelor's degree in psychology at Washington State University Tri-Cities. If she wins Miss Washington, she won't have to worry too much about paying for graduate school.

Harris is to leave for Burien on Saturday following Pasco's Grand Old Fourth parade to begin rehearsing for the three-day program starting July 9.

Cheyenne Van Tine, Miss Tri-Cities Outstanding Teen, will join Harris Tuesday.

The Miss Tri-Cities 2009 pageant is to start at 7 p.m. July 18 at Kennewick High School's Art Fuller Auditorium to choose this year's winner.

"I hope whoever wins has an amazing time and grows more than she expected to," Harris said.

Miss America 1987 Kellye Cash is expected to a be a co-master of ceremony for this year's Tri-City event with Richard Rogers who has been a master of ceremony of past pageants.