Under the bright stage lights of the Buck Shaffer Theater at the Porterville Memorial Auditorium, the annual Veterans Homecoming Queen/Miss Porterville Pageant unfolded Saturday evening in a display of pride, patriotism, and community spirit. The event — a long-standing tradition leading into Porterville’s Veterans Day celebrations — brought together families, service members, and civic leaders to recognize not only beauty, but devotion to bettering the community through service.
Rows of chairs filled quickly as attendees arrived on Saturday night to watch the 13 pageant contestants vie for the coveted title of Miss Porterville. As the lights dimmed around 6:30 p.m., the sound of applause rose from the audience as the competition pageant began.
This year’s contestants were Emily Garcia, Gianna Rohrbach, Areli Gomez, Emma Thompson, Mackayla Thomason, Asiah Soliman, Eleanna Karnoff, Vanessa Perez Hernandez, Ashtyn Perry, Joselyn Carbajal Alcantar, Isabel Vasquez, Bea Valdez, and Ava Garay. The young ladies reigned from Granite Hills High School, Harmony Magnet Academy, Monache High School, Summit Collegiate High School, and Porterville Military Academy.
Organized by the Porterville Veterans Homecoming Committee, the annual pageant serves as both a fundraiser and a symbolic gesture of appreciation for those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The event’s winners — one crowned Queen with a court of four others — go on to represent Porterville’s veterans at the city’s upcoming Veterans Day Parade and other community ceremonies over the course of the next year.
This year’s pageant followed the same proud format that has carried it through decades of local history: contestant introductions, a question-and-answer segment designed to showcase not only composure and character, and patriotic presentations. Between segments, emcee Dennis Townsend kept the atmosphere lively, offering commentary and gratitude to the veterans in attendance.
Soon after the lights fell, the contestants took the stage one by one, escorted down the auditorium aisle by a local veteran as Townsend introduced each one. After making it to the stage, each young woman introduced their parents. Each introduction drew a wave of applause from the crowd, who listened attentively as the young women spoke with sincerity and pride.
Once the introductions were complete, the ladies exited the stage, and The Fabulous Studio Band, led by Director Clark Keele, filled the auditorium with the sound of each military march while soldiers stood for recognition as their branch theme played out. Once the music faded, it was time for the on stage pageant interviews.
Contestants were asked a set of two questions about patriotism, leadership, and volunteerism — topics that revealed both their values and their connection to the community. Each question opened the door for the girls to show a bit of themselves and why they value being a part of the Porterville community.
The contestants each got a moment in the spotlight when it was time for the talent portion of the pageant, which began just after the interviews ended. From performances of speeches, poems, dances, and songs, to playing musical instruments and even a short showing of trick roping, each contestant took the stage to show the judges a patriotic act that reflected their talents or hobbies.
After the final round concluded, the judges tallied the scores while the audience buzzed with quiet anticipation. Townsend kept the crowd entertained, offering acknowledgments to sponsors and community partners who made the event possible, as well as hosting a small round of military trivia to entertain those in the crowd.
Before announcing the pageant winners, the 2024/2025 Homecoming Queen and her court were asked to step on stage and watch a highlight video of the events they participated in over the year during their time as a group. Queen Joanna Molina Ambriz, Princess Eve Mochroi Arcos, 1st Attendant Hayley Shaw, 2nd Attendant Alexea Rojo Andrade, and 3rd Attendant Cynthia Burnitzki ended their reign with certificates of recognition and gifts from the organizers.
Finally, as the clock neared 9 p.m., the 13 hopeful contestants returned to the stage, and the tension gave way to excitement. Bouquets, sashes, and glittering crowns waited at the front as Townsend prepared to reveal the winners. The room fell silent in anticipation of each name.
First to take home a crown was 3rd attendant Emma Thompson from Monache High School. She was followed by 2nd attendant Eleanna Karnoff from Monache High School, and 1st attendant Emily Garcia of Granite Hills High School. Before announcing the Miss Porterville title winner, the title of Princess went to Ava Garay of Granite Hills High School.
It was finally time for the moment the crowd was waiting for — to crown the newest Veterans Homecoming Queen and name the 2025/2026 Miss Porterville. After a small pause to build the tension, Townsend proudly announced Gianna Rohrbach of Harmony Magnet Academy as the winner.
All of the young women stood beaming as they received their crowns and flowers, surrounded by the applause of proud families and friends. Cameras flashed and past titleholders joined them on stage for photographs.
For the newly crowned representatives, the next few weeks will be filled with appearances at local events — from the Veterans Day Parade to school assemblies and community service projects. Their role as the queen and court is to embody the gratitude and respect the community feels for its veterans around the community throughout the next year.