New Miss Cardinal City to be Crowned

With 22 young ladies vying for the title of Miss Cardinal City on Sept. 19, the 11th Annual pageant is sure to feature plenty of glitz, glamour, athleticism, and academics. That’s because in addition to the usual opening number and evening wear portions of any beauty pageant, Miss Cardinal City contestants will be ranked in on-stage question and sportswear categories, as well as off-stage rankings for grades, attendance, and personal interviews. Then again, Miss Cardinal City is more than just a beauty pageant. It is a competition for young women to be ambassadors for San Bernardino High School (SBHS), also known as Cardinal City, and the City of San Bernardino. The young ladies must be examples of the type of students SBHS graduates each year. That’s why it is no surprise that ten of the contestants play varsity sports, and 17 contestants are enrolled in rigorous honors and Advanced Placement classes. According to pageant director and Bilingual School Outreach Worker Jamie Rios, “San Bernardino High School, and its namesake city, could be called home by many great people, like Medal of Honor recipient Col. Joseph C. Rodriguez, founder of Baker’s Drive-Thru Neal T. Baker, Stater Bros. CEO Jack Brown, and former California Assembly member Wilmer Amina Carter.” Rios said. “With that kind of history and community significance, I felt we needed ambassadors, young people who could remind the community where we come from and the great places San Bernardino High students are going.” Miss Cardinal City, along with reigning Mr. Cardinal City, will represent San Bernardino High School at school and community functions throughout the year. According to Rios, the Miss Cardinal City pageant would not be possible without the following sponsors: Trophy House, Stater Bros. Markets, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hickey, The San Bernardino Sun newspaper, D’Arca Formal Wear, First Ward Councilwoman Virginia Marquez, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Arellano, Toyota of San Bernardino, Express Printing of San Bernardino, Dr. and Mrs. Michael A. Lawrence, Unlimited 2 Auto Sound and Window Tinting, First Presbyterian Church, Mr. Jim Smith, Gil Lemus Insurance Services, Jeffrey Torres, Gutierrez Carpet, Cardinal City Florist, and the San Bernardino City Unified School District. The pageant begins at 6 p.m. at Sturges Center for the Fine Arts, 780 North E Street in San Bernardino. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door.