KINGSTON — Richard Stice was a bit surprised to hear that his 17-year-old daughter, well-known for her involvement with local sports teams, was going to participate in this year’s Miss Kingston Scholarship Pageant.

But this astonishment was replaced with pride Saturday night at Kingston Junior High as Brenda Stice was named Miss Kingston 2003.

“I know she’s a very talented gal and I’m very proud of her,” he said after the ceremony, watching her receive congratulatory hugs and smile for the cameras surrounding her on stage.

“It really surprised me she ran,” he explained. “She’s so active in sports, she’s such a tomboy-type. It surprised me when she told me.”

Others at the event said they felt she was a shoe-in.

“She deserved it, she worked hard,” said her grandmother Opal Stice.

“Determination is one of her key points, that’s true,” Richard Stice added, referring to the comment made about Brenda earlier in the night.

But as in all pageants, those crowned are typically the ones blindsided most be the outcomes.

“I was shocked,” Brenda Stice said when her name was announced. “I thought, ‘Wait, was that my name?’ I had to make sure my name was still Brenda.”

She will carry out her reign as Miss Kingston 2003 with Miss Kingston princesses Sarah Eddy and Kayla Tippie.

Besides making public appearances representing Kingston at various state-wide events, Stice will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Eddy and Tippie will each receive $500 in scholarship money.

The girls were judged on creative display, evening gowns and impromptu questions during Saturday evening’s ceremony.

Scores from personal interviews and a secret judge throughout pageant training this summer were also incorporated in the final decision.

Prior to the ceremony, the girls wrote essays explaining what their platform would be if they were chosen Miss Kingston 2003. They were then asked two impromptu questions regarding the issue during the ceremony.

Brenda Stice’s platform was on abstinence and adolescents.

“A teen (awareness) program would be a chance for kids to get together as a group,” she explained on how to increase support for the issue.

Stice also noted that abstinence needs to be discussed at an early age.

“Before high school,” Stice said on what age group should first be exposed. “At junior high, before they are more likely to do it.”

Tippie’s platform was on why residents should invest money into the Kitsap Children’s Musical Theatre in these hard economic times.

“It’s important in a lot of children’s lives,” she said. “When children do theatre, they are automatically part of it and they gain confidence.”

Eddy’s platform was on the importance of Girl Scouts and her involvement with the organization.

The local troops would benefit from a centralized meeting location in Kingston, “so more girls could join and be a part of the program and build their self-esteem,” she said.

Eddy, who ran last year, said she was persuaded by the directors to make another run this year and was excited by her new platform. But she was surprised by the judges’ decision.

“I was very surprised because I blew it on my second impromptu question,” Eddy said.

Her mother, Roseanne Dore was thrilled to see Eddy finally get the spotlight.

“I’m really excited. She had run last year and placed very well,” Dore said. “She’s proud of her platform this year.”

Tippie became a contestant because she wanted to become more involved in the community through a different venue.

“I decided to run because I really wanted to be a part of the community,”

Tippie said. “I’m part of Kingston Citizens Advisory Committee and I thought being a part of the community as Miss Kingston would be important.”

“I’m very proud. It was a goal she wanted to go for,” added Tippie’s mother,

Tammie Tippie. “It’s going to open up new opportunities for her. I’m looking

forward to the shopping part and the trips. It’s going to be a fun, wild year.”

Stice said she decided to run after one of her friends persuaded her to do it.

“I ran because my friend Sarah Eddy convinced me to run with her,” she explained. “I’m really glad she’s on court with me.”

The outgoing Miss Kingston Royalty 2002 is Queen Canon Henness, Princess

Lizzie Blomquist and Princess Jordan Mori.