The state has a new Miss Utah in the form of Miss Sandy Michele Mobley.
The University of Utah music student won the state scholarship and beauty pageant Saturday in Orem, taking home a $10,000 cash scholarship and $12,000 in wardrobe and gift certificates.Mobley, 21, was crowned before an audience at Mountain View High School after performing a stunning vocal aria from "Candide," a walk down the ramp in an elegant creme satin gown and a unique blended color swimsuit worn for the swimsuit segment.
For critical interview points, she forthrightly answered onstage questions about strengths she ultimately achieved despite coming from a broken home, telling the judges and audience she learned early how to prepare for living on her own, how to cook a meal and do a batch of laundry.
Mobley is the daughter of a single mother, Diane Wuthrich Mobley.
First attendant to Miss Utah is Miss Provo, Tiffany Gledhill, 19, a student at Brigham Young University.
Miss Utah Valley, Holly Lynn Holman, 20, a student at Utah Valley State College, was named 2nd attendant, followed by Miss Lehi, Jennilyn Tucker, 19, also a student at UVSC, and Miss Bountiful Area, Mindy McDermott, 20, a student at Utah State University.
The five finalists were chosen after 10 contestants competed in the final night of judging that started on Wednesday with preliminaries.
Others among the top 10 included Miss Uintah Basin, Mindy Palmer; Miss Farmington, Andrea Pack; Miss Utah State University, Jennifer Aikele; Miss North Ogden, Erin Virgin; and Miss South Jordan, Marni Blair.
Mobley, in addition to winning the crown and the opportunity to represent the state in the Miss America pageant this August, won the preliminary talent award and evening gown award on the nights she competed.
The 1998 Miss Utah Scholarship Pageant, celebrating 60 years as a pageant in Utah, featured 45 of the past crown winners and was produced under the direction of a new trio of directors; Chad Hulet, Rhea Kiisel and Paulina Jolley.