KINGSTON — When Heidi Nicks steps down from her reign as the 2004-05 Miss Kingston this weekend, a new young woman will be offered the same opportunities to grow in many of the same ways she did this past year.

Focusing on working for a good cause and learning more about her community are among the benefits. The latter of which was what Nicks said she enjoyed the most from during her time as local royalty.

“There is just a lot of good people out there in the community,” Nicks said, adding that while she has been spending the past 12 months giving back to the area through Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County, she’s also benefited by earning scholarships for college, including the Miss Kingston award.

“It’s made me aware how giving people are,” she said.

Nicks will pass the crown on to the next lucky winner Saturday night at the 2005 Miss Kingston Scholarship Pageant at Kingston Junior High. The event begins at 7 p.m. and tickets are available from contestants and at the door the night of the show. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and children and free for children ages 6 and younger.

There are seven contestants vying for the title of Miss Kingston and the two princess crowns.

The 2005-‘06 Miss Kingston contestants are:

Kiara Ewell: She will be a senior at North Kitsap High School, as well as a sophomore at Olympic College, this fall. She is the daughter of Ted and Gina Ewell.

Her favorite subjects in school are psychology, art and physical education. She also enjoys arts and crafts, fashion, music, exercise and hanging out with her friends.

Ewell was the ASB vice president her sophomore year and received a letter for her participation. She also lettered in academics as a junior, was an Interhigh Rep for NKHS at multi-school meetings and is a participant in the Running Start program. Ewell is also active in her church and youth group.

She is striving to earn her A.A. degree by the time she graduates high school and transfer to a four-year school, then get married and raise a family.

Ewell will be jumping rope for her creative display.

Chyna Riedel: She will be a sophomore at NKHS in the fall and is the daughter of Michael and Rose Riedel.

Her favorite subjects in school include science, math and art. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, belly dancing and singing.

Riedel participates on the swim team and the track team and has received the North Kitsap Fitness Award as well as the Presidential Fitness Award. Her other honors include an award in art and the “Annie” Award.

Reidel is interested in make-up and plans to go to college to get her degree in fine arts, attend a prosthetic make-up school and become a movie make-up artist.

She will be playing “Sonatina in G” by Hyden on the piano for her creative display.

Vivian Suarez: She will be a sophomore at NKHS in the fall and is the daughter of Christina Rampley and Victor Suarez.

Her favorite subjects include reading, science and humanities. She enjoys knitting, acting and 4-H fencing. She spends her free time participating in mediation and dispute resolution, youth suicide prevention and learning foreign languages.

Suarez has earned awards in wrestling, including Most Inspirational and Most Improved. She has also received awards at the Kitsap County Fair as Grand Champion Western Equestrian and a special merit award in Public Presentation. She also received a special merit award in Public Presentation at the Washington State Fair. Suarez plans to participate in the Running Start program and attend college while completing high school. She would then like to travel before pursuing a career in mediation.

Suarez will be performing a monologue, “Lady Macbeth,” for her creative display.

Ione Shepherd-McNamara: She will be a senior at NKHS in the fall and is the daughter of Dan and Paula Price.

Her favorite subjects in school are history, art and English. She also enjoys belly dancing, artwork and designing clothes.

Shepherd-McNamara is a volunteer in the community and values participating in an active family life. She received a service award for the Builders Club two years in a row and a service award for the Key Club two years in a row, where she is currently co-president. Shepherd-McNamara has been student of the month at NKHS twice. She is a Boys & Girls Club volunteer and an active member of the “Jewels of the Nile” belly dance troupe.

Shepherd-McNamara would like to go onto a four-year university and major in arts and English.

She will be performing a belly dance for her creative display.

Andrea Strunk: She will be a senior at NKHS in the fall and is the daughter of Lori Christie and Rich Strunk.

Her favorite subjects in school are pottery, English and choir. Strunk also enjoys singing, playing the guitar, dancing and song writing. She is involved in the Lifesavers suicide prevention program, as well as drama and the dance team. In her spare time, she tutors junior high students and in the fall, she will be an NK Success mentor.

Strunk’s biggest passion is singing and she enjoys entering talent contests. Her freshman year, she placed fourth in the National Talent Show in Los Angeles, Calif. Strunk wants to go to a four-year college, major in the arts and become a successful musician.

Strunk will be singing “Reflections” by Christina Aguilera for her creative display.

Erinn Bartlett: She will be a freshman at Olympic College in the fall and is the daughter of Steve and Joanne Bartlett.

Her favorite subjects in school are math, psychology and creative writing. She also enjoys dance and is employed by the Liberty Bay Danceworks, where she teaches children ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop.

In high school, she was a participant in the Knowledge Bowl, yearbook and NK Success. She also spent time tutoring, was student of the month, received a letter for track managing from NKHS and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society.

Bartlett will spend two years at Olympic College and transfer to a four-year school to earn a degree in interior design.

She will be dancing “The Frug” to music by Bob Frosse for her creative display.

Markie Lea Rustad: She will be a junior at NKHS in the fall and is the daughter of Mark and Judy Rustad.

Her favorite subjects in school are English, choir and history. She also enjoys musicals, writing poetry and crocheting in her free time.

Rustad is involved in the Lifesavers suicide prevention team, RUAD (Reduce Under Age Drinking) and the National Honor Society. She has been student of the month at NKHS. She also participates in her youth group at Bayside Community Church, volunteers at Tiny Town and baby-sits.

Rustad plans to attend a four-year college to train to be a medical examiner.

She will be singing “No One Else On Earth,” sung originally by Wynonna Judd, for her creative display.