Camilla Cochran crowned first Miss Maricopa

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Camilla Cochran, 17, was selected as the winner of the Miss Maricopa Scholarship Pageant, which was held Saturday night at Maricopa Wells Middle School. The six contestants also included first runner-up Jennifer Turley, 17; second runner-up Zulema Espinoza, 18; Alyssa Mitchell, 18; Morgan Rainey, 18; and Caitlyn Snow, 17.

The event was organized by the City of Maricopa, the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce and It’s a Party Productions as part of the city’s annual Stagecoach Days.

“It was beautiful,” Cynthia Morgan, chairman of the event committee for Stagecoach Days, said about the pageant. “The set, the lighting, it was just gorgeous.”

Morgan pitched the idea to the city for a pageant to be held as part of Stagecoach Days. Once the idea was approved, she chose Jennifer Mix and It’s a Party Productions to direct the event.

A panel of celebrity judges was brought in for the pageant. The judges included Matthew Earl Jones, a television and film producer who is the brother of actor James Earl Jones; Wade Martin, record producer and guest judge for “American Idol” on FOX; Steven Smith, talent agent for The Young Agency; Ruben Garcia, director and co-owner of New Eden Productions; Joi-Ashli Gibbs, owner of Advanced Wellness; and Mary Jane Lopez, owner of Coyote Trail Bed and Breakfast.

As the winner of the pageant, Cochran will receive a $1,000 scholarship provided by Fry’s Food Stores, a one-year modeling and acting agency contract from The Young Agency, a walk-on role in a New Eden Productions film, a teeth whitening by Gibbs and a portrait portfolio by Lily P. Studios.

Turley, the first runner-up, will receive a $500 scholarship provided by Global Water.
Espinoza, the second runner-up, will receive a $250 scholarship from Coyote Trail Bed and Breakfast and AZ Construction.

The theme for this year’s pageant was “Best in the West.”

“We had quite a good turnout,” Morgan said. “The organizers did a fabulous job. It was truly an evening of elegance.”