Throughout her year of service, Tonti will serve as the official hostess to the city of Garden Grove, working closely with service clubs such as Elks Lodge #1952, the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce, and the Children’s Miracle Network. In addition, she will have the opportunity to continue work based around her personal platform, “Women Helping Women.”

Along with the coveted title of Miss Garden Grove, the iconic Miss America local crown, and the opportunity to compete for the title of Miss California, she was the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship, the $500 Soroptimist of Garden Grove educational scholarship, the $100 Miss Congeniality scholarship, and the $150 Manny Nunes Talent Scholarship.

Also crowned was Miss Garden Grove’s Outstanding Teen 2014, Sara Silberman, a sophomore at Orange County High School of the Arts. She performed ballet en pointe for talent, and her personal platform is “An Arts Education.” The Outstanding Teen title came with a $250 scholarship, and Sara also earned the Beverly Hansen Lidgard scholarship, worth $200.

First runner-up to Miss Garden Grove 2014 is Rachel Langan, a student at Biola University, and winner of a $500 scholarship. Second runner-up to Miss Garden Grove 2014 is Amanda Burns, a junior at Pacifica High School, and winner of a $400 scholarship. Third runner-up to Miss Garden Grove 2014 is Christy Genta, a sophomore at Orange Coast College, and winner of a $300 scholarship. Fourth runner-up to Miss Garden Grove 2014 is Krystyna Soch, a junior at Cal State Long Beach,and winner of a $200 scholarship.

About the Miss Garden Grove Scholarship Organization:
An official local preliminary to Miss California and Miss America, The MGGSO began as the Strawberry Festival Queen pageant in 1958. In 1980, the program became affiliated with the Miss California and Miss America organizations; since that time two titleholders have gone on to compete for the title of Miss America (Jennifer Hanson, 1994, and Leah Cecil, 2011). A not-for-profit volunteer organization, the MGGSO encourages community service, fosters public speaking skills, develops friendships, and creates leaders. A total of $6,350 in scholarships was awarded during the 2014 program—a ten percent increase from 2013's program.

Source: Jill Cook / Photos: Nikki Lehman