Jaime Buchholz wins Miss City of Maricopa title

She's not your everyday beauty queen. Taking a page from Sandra Bullock, Jaime Buchholz used her passion for a cause, healthy living and a talent for chest compressions to ride to the title of Miss City of Maricopa 2015.

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In a competition Saturday night at Maricopa's Performing Arts Center, the Phoenix resident rose above four other contestants for the crown and the chance to represent the city in the Miss Arizona pageant.

Buchholz, 23, is an Arizona State University graduate working on an advanced degree. She nurses veterans for a living, and her platform of bringing awareness and education of post-traumatic stress disorder brought her into the contest in the first place.

She said military veterans have to know there is no shame in PTSD, and the public needs to better informed about it. From the West Valley, Buchholz said she had learned of the veteran issues in Maricopa, and thought the pageant was a good way to reach out. She used her knowledge of CPR as her talent. Winning did not cross her mind until her name was called.

"I can't wait to work with the City of Maricopa and the veterans here," she said.

The win gives her a $600 scholarship. She also won the Quality of Life award, which was a medal and gift basket.

In the Outstanding Teen competition, two girls brand new to pageants took the titles.

Cristaly Betancourt, 16, is the 2015 Miss City of Maricopa Outstanding Teen. Shyann Dugan, 17, was named Miss Pinal County Outstanding Teen. Both are students at Maricopa High School.

They will also  compete in the state pageant.

Betancourt, a native of Puerto Rico, moved to Maricopa four years ago and lives in Homestead. The daughter of Aidyl Sanchez and Luis Rodriguez, she said she was shocked to win the competition among seven teenagers.

Dugan is a Maricopa native and lives in the Villages at Rancho El Dorado. She said she has been warned to expect a whirlwind and have most of her weekends full for the rest of the year.