Butler High senior takes 1st runner-up at Miss Pennsylvania Teen scholarship competition
Stella Scialabba, an incoming senior at Butler High School, was named first runner-up at the Miss Pennsylvania Teen scholarship competition in York County on June 16.
“I was very excited because last year I got fourth runner-up and I only had two months of experience,” Stella said. “Right after that I got into prep to be able to do my best the following year. I also gained scholarship money through that which is really exciting.”
As first runner-up, Stella was awarded $2,000 in scholarship funds. She received an additional $1,000 for her community service initiative. Maggie Ross, of Pittsburgh, won the competition.
“My community service initiative was ‘1 in 36: InclUSsion starts with U.S.’,” Stella said. “1 in 36 represents how many children are diagnosed with autism … and I'm advocating for those with autism and all those with disabilities feel included in society.”
This hits home for Stella, because her brother has been diagnosed autism, and she said she always has felt the need to advocate for people such as him and families such as hers.
“One of the major things I did this year for my initiative was sending a ‘buddy box’ to all the school districts in Pennsylvania,” Stella said. “Buddy boxes are filled with information on inclusion programs. I have a letter in there stating all the things that I do, and I talk about my brother's story. There is also a QR code to my website, inclusionstartswithus.com.”
The week of competition started with rehearsals and getting so know some of the other competitors she said.
Thursday night was the first night of preliminary competition, with the final day on Friday June 16.
During the competition Stella was able to show off her dancing skills, which she has been doing since she was 3 years old, she said.
“My favorite style of dance is tap,” Stella said. “I've done tap solos my whole life. My family and I decided it would be fun if I did a jazz-Afro routine and make it showy. I did it to ‘Devil Went Down to Georgia.’”
Stella said she is looking into colleges to attend, which includes Ohio State, Syracuse University and Vanderbilt University.
“Whatever college I go to, I'm looking to still compete in the Miss America organization,” Stella said. “I've aged out of the teen program. I would love to major in speech and hearing sciences with a minor in journalism.”
