Voting for Miss Niagara can be done at niagaralions2020@gmail.com. Only one vote per email address will be allowed. Voting will be until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Niagara High School students, along with City and Town of Niagara voters, can choose from among six students recently selected by the high school as the 2020 finalists.

Originated and sponsored by the Niagara Lions Club since 1968, the new Miss Niagara will have her coronation at the Niagara Lions Community Picnic on June 27, when she will be presented with a crown and sash from current Miss Niagara Julia Brown.

The candidates are:

BEAUDEN ANDERSON

— Haley Allred, 17, is a junior and the daughter of Jen and Cory Allred. Allred regularly can be found on the high honors list every quarter. Her favorite classes this year include history and art. According to her teachers, “Haley is a hard worker who takes pride in all she does and she is a leader among her peers and gets along with everyone.”

Allred has earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and two in softball.

She also is class president and a member of the student council, participates in forensics, has been a “Student of the Week” and an award recipient of the Association of Student Artists.

Allred belongs to Riverside United Methodist Church, where she is part of the youth group and has volunteered for a variety of church activities including helping at dinners and with church grounds cleanup.

Allred also is a member of the Badgers United youth service group at school and participated in the Philadelphia Service Trip this past summer. Among her community service activities, she helped at the Niagara Lions Picnic and assisted with the concession stand at Sunday youth basketball.

ALYSSA CRETTON

When asked if she has a mentor or a role model, Allred said, “I’ve looked up to my entire family, but I look up to my mom the most. She definitely is the biggest role model in my life. She has taught me how to always stay calm during the storm.”

In her spare time, Allred enjoys camping and being with her family. She also works part-time babysitting. Future plans are to attend a technical school for graphic design.

— Beauden Anderson, 15, is a sophomore and the daughter of Kevin and Ginger Anderson. She has one brother, Dr. Ben Potter, in Chicago. She has proven to be a strong student who excels in the classroom. She lists science and independent art as her favorite classes this year.

Anderson participates in volleyball, basketball and softball. Active in student government as well, Anderson was president of both her sophomore and freshman classes while also being a member of the student council. Her other extracurricular activities include forensics, art club and theatre.

She also does well in music, playing in the band, participating in chorus and taking piano and vocal lessons. She has been chosen as a “Student of the Week” and also has been a state forensic medalist in public speaking.

ISABEL JACOBS

When asked if she has a role model or mentor, Anderson said, “No other person has had as much impact on me as my father. He is honest, fair, steady, patient, and giving. My family doctor has often talked about the importance of a strong father-daughter bond. Dr. Loewen said that it not only shapes a young girl’s self-esteem, but it even impacts her ability to perform well academically. I am confident and resilient because of my dad. He is my greatest supporter, and I want to make him proud.”

Anderson attends Quinnesec United Methodist Church. She works part-time at her grandparent’s business, Dave’s Auto Sales and Service in Iron Mountain. She also has a record of community service, volunteering at The Big Red Barn doing craft activities and also crafts and face-painting at the annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting event in Niagara. She participated in last summer’s Philadelphia Service Trip and helped as well with the cleanup at the U.P. Honor Flight benefit.

In addition to helping paint the softball and baseball dugouts, Anderson can be found Sunday afternoons during the winter assisting with the concession stand at the Sunday Youth Basketball program. Anderson also plans to volunteer this summer with her mother at the Crisp Point Light House in Luce County.

In her free time, Anderson enjoys reading, learning to play the violin, illustrating and traveling with her family. “However,” she said, “I also am passionate about knitting and would like to become proficient enough to possibly donate my crafts to charity.”

Anderson’s post-high school plans are to attend college toward a psychiatry career.

ELAINA OCHS

— Alyssa Cretton, 16, is a junior and the daughter of Wayne and Danielle Cretton. She has two sisters, 10-year-old Lyla and 3-year-old Ashlynn.

Cretton is a good student whose favorite classes this year are art and English.

She is a gifted athlete as well who excels in sports, earning varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and track. Cretton received All-Conference recognition in volleyball and basketball and also starred in track, qualifying for the WIAA State track meet as a sophomore. In summer, Cretton also enjoyed participating with the SAY soccer program.

Cretton worked part-time at the Pasty Oven and Uptown Lanes, plus has done community service by volunteering at Maryhill Manor, spaghetti dinners and at school concession stands.

Cretton credited her mother as role model, saying “she is always there for me. She has taught me to be a good person.”

JESSICA ORATCH

She plans after high school to attend college toward becoming an X-ray technician.

— Isabel Jacobs, 15, is a sophomore and youngest child of Melissa and Chad Jacobs. Her siblings include Makayla and Logan, both 22.

Jacobs’ name regularly can be found on the school’s High Honors academic list. Her favorite classes this year include U.S. history and English.

Jacobs also participates in a number of extracurricular activities. She was in volleyball and a state medalist in forensics. She enjoys music and has participated in Solo and Ensemble competitions. A member of the student council, Jacobs twice has been named Student of the Week as a freshman and this year as a sophomore.

Jacobs is respected by her peers and her teachers, one of whom wrote “she is a hard-working and engaged student. She has a positive attitude and is always respectful to others. She is a thoughtful person, and she gives 100% effort in everything she does.”

Jacobs credits her parents as her mentors and role models. “They are my role models, because they work very hard for what we have and their views reflect on who I am today.”

Jacobs enjoys playing soccer in summer and also lists camping, hunting, swimming and reading as things she likes to do in her free time. She is involved in community service with the Badgers United youth service group and also helps with concession stands at the Sunday youth basketball program. She volunteers as well as a volleyball line judge, helps at track meets and assists with the church cemetery cleanup.

Jacobs attends St. Anthony Catholic Church and babysits part-time as well as helps on the family farm.

Although only a sophomore, Jacobs intends to attend a four-year university after high school to become an environmental consultant.

— Elaina Ochs, 16, is a sophomore and the daughter of Christina Eskritt and Michael Ochs. She has a 22-year-old brother, Brett, and two sisters, Hannah, 22, and Bella, 11.

Ochs is a personable young lady whose often appears on the honor roll. She is active in a variety of school activities, including student council, one-act play, forensics, theater, student media, and volleyball. Ochs also participates in the SAY soccer program.

Ochs names her father, Michael, as her role model. “My dad is my hero because he does everything he can to support my family.

He loves me with all the love in his heart. He’s the best person I know,” she said.

Ochs lists student media, biology, American government and English as her favorite classes. She also enjoys forensics, medaling at the state forensic festival, and earned a minor letter in volleyball.

Ochs attends St. Anthony Catholic Church, assists in several church-related activities and often helps the Knights of Columbus with their smear tournament and duck races.

She performs volunteer community service as well by helping at the community tree lighting event and played a key role in planning and carrying out the last Veteran’s Day program. According to one of her teachers, “Elaina is a pleasure to have in the classroom. She consistently tries her best and always uses her time wisely. She is a great role model for her peers and is greatly respected by her classmates and all of the staff.”

Ochs babysits part-time and enjoys art, sports, hunting and fishing and spending time with her loved ones and her dog, Finn.

While only a sophomore, Ochs plans to go to college and also work part-time. Eventually she would like to have a family.

— Jessica Oratch, 18, is a senior and the daughter of Kerri and Jamie Oratch. She has a 15-year-old sister, Samantha, and two brothers, Jacob, 23, and Benjamin, 20.

Oratch excels in the classroom, in athletics and other school activities. She will graduate first in her class. A two-year member of the National Honor Society, Oratch’s favorite classes this year include graphic communications, art, chemistry and English.

She also earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and track, and was all-conference in basketball and volleyball while also being named the basketball team MVP as a junior. She received a Track and Field Storm award in addition to being a team captain in both volleyball and basketball.

Oratch’s non-athletic achievements include a state medal in forensics and first place in English at the M&O Conference Academic Bowl. She also was a Badger Girls State representative, Association of Student Artists award recipient, Michigan Tech Science Award recipient and Artist of the Month as well as a two-time Student of the Week and a Tech Center Student of the Semester.

Oratch has been on the school’s academic teams, a class officer and on the student council, and a member of the art club, majorettes and yearbook. She also served as a junior counselor at the Northern Lakes Impact Center.

Oratch said she considers Emily Dickinson to be one of her many idols/heroes. “Apart from being one of the most influential and significant writers in history, Dickinson symbolizes the advancement of women’s rights and societal reform. Dickinson rejected the idea of social acceptance and popularity, and she participated in the first wave of the Women’s Rights Movement shortly after the Civil War,” Oratch said.

Outside school, Oratch works part-time at Tadych’s Family Market and is a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church. Her volunteer community service including assisting at church, the Lions Club picnic and at Karen’s Food Pantry. She also volunteered at last summer’s U.P. Honor Flight benefit and participated with the Philadelphia Service Trip.

Oratch lists reading and writing, art and design, and athletics as leisure time activities.

She plans to pursue a degree in user experience design and communication engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

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