Miss Polonia
8.3.14| HOLYOKE| Photo by Manon L. Mirabelli| From left, Miss Polonia Massachusetts 2015 Jessica Krupa, of Chicopee, Junior Miss Polonia Sophie Stetson, of Granby, and Little Miss Polonia Analise Huertas, of Springfield, after winning their titles during the Miss Polonia Massachusetts Pageant 2015 held Sunday evening at Pilsudski Park in Holyoke.
(Manon L. Mirabelli)
HOLYOKE — The Massachusetts Miss Polonia Pageant has been recognizing young women of Polish descent for 10 years, and this year, for the first time, two new categories were added to the competition to crown a Junior and Little Miss Polonia.
Jessica Sudyka, of Dudley, was selected from among five contestants as the 2015 Miss Polonia Massachusetts; Sophie Stetson, 10, of Granby, was named Junior Miss Polonia and Analise Huertas, 5, of Springfield, was crowned Little Miss Polonia during the competition held Aug. 4 at Pilsudski Park in Holyoke.
Sudyka will go on to compete in the Miss Polonia USA pageant in New York City, and while the adult contest has been a 10-year tradition steeped in a pride of the Polish heritage, it was the Junior Miss and Little Miss competitions that stole the show Sunday.
The sheer delight on the faces of winners Sophie Stetson and Analise Huertas was matched only by the joyful tears shed by their familes and friends. Both girls were anything but short on personality as they struck poses on the stage and smiled for the cameras flashing before them.
Analise’s parents, Anthony and Zaneta Huertas, as well as her grandmother, Barbara Kruszewski, rushed the stage with hugs, flowers and a teddy bear after the child was crowned and adorned with a sash.
8.3.14| HOLYOKE| Photo by Manon L. Mirabelli| Analise Huertas, of Springfield, learns she has been selected as Little Miss Polonia during the Miss Polonia Massachusetts Pageant 2015 held Sunday evening at Pilsudski Park in Holyoke.
Zaneta Huertas competed for Miss Polonia in the mid 2000s and was named most photogenic, but it was Analise who wanted to take part in the first Little Miss pageant.
“She like to model dresses and shoes,” she said, adding, “I made her dress myself, and she picked mine over the one I bought for her.”
Junior Miss winner Sophie Stetson said she was surprised to hear her name announced as the recipient of the title, but hearing it “felt so good.”
“I feel surprised because I thought one of the other girls would win,” she said. “I felt so nervous. “
Sophie added that she plans on competing for the Miss Polonia title when she is old enough to do so because she is proud of her Polish heritage and “I really wanted that round-trip ticket to Poland.”
8.3.14| HOLYOKE| Photo by Manon L. Mirabelli| From left, Miss Polonia Massachusetts 2014 Aneta Sucharski, 2015 winner Jessica Sudyka and 2013 winner Maya Rhinehart at the Miss Polonia Massachusetts Pageant 2015 held Sunday evening at Pilsudski Park in Holyoke.
Sudyka succeeds 2014 winner Aneta Sucharski as Miss Polonia, and 2013 titleholder Maya Rhinehart was one of the judges for the event. The rest of the judging panel was comprised of Michael T. Kogut, Krystyna S. Leger, Joseph S. Pieciak and Joseph Topor Jr.
Those who competed for Miss Polonia were Joanna Krupa, of Chicopee, who was recognized as most glamorous, the people's choice winner and first runner-up; Celina Borawski, of Wilbraham, winner of the swimsuit competition; Emily Davenport, Feeding Hills, named second runner-up and best personality; and Monika Lipert, named most photogenic.
In the Junior Miss Polonia category, Kylen Cavanaugh, 9, was the first runner-up; Julia Swiatlowski, 8, was recognized for having the most stage presence; and Allison Davenport, 10, took the honor as most photogenic.
The Little Miss Polonia category included contestants Izabella Dybacki, 6, who captured the first runner-up title; Mia Bulatewicz, 7, named most glamorous; Gabriella Bulatewicz, 6, voted as having the best personality; and Sydney Germain, 5, most photogenic.