As colorful streamers showered new Miss Ohio Stephanie Finoti, tears of joy ran down her face on stage as she waved and thanked the judges at the Renaissance Theatre.
Outgoing Miss Ohio Madison Miller on Saturday night placed a crown on her successor, Finoti, who receives a $10,000 scholarship and other gifts and awards. The 21-year-old from Columbus will represent Ohio on the Miss America stage in January.
Finoti won the health and fitness award Friday night, a day after she was the preliminary talent winner with her dance from the ballet "Don Quixote."
Finoti is on track to graduate in December from the University of Cincinnati with a biomedical science major. Her contest platform of community service initiative was "That STEM Girl: How mentorship drives diversity in medicine." She plans to attend medical school to become a pediatrician and focus on the care of premature babies.
Finoti, in her second trip to the Miss Ohio stage, said she thought she was dreaming upon realizing she had won the competition.
"This whole week has been a dream. I feel like I've been floating all week," she said.
She thanked all the young women who competed this week for their kindness, support and instilling in her the idea she could be Miss Ohio.
Finoti said she plans to collaborate with all the contestants and their community service initiatives during her year as Miss Ohio.
"I have no words how I feel right now. I am so honored, honored to stand as a representative amongst 26 other amazing women," she said. "I did not expect this. This year I came in, I wanted to compete and become a better version of myself. Last year was my first year and I didn't really know what I was doing."
Finoti said her goal was to be better than she was a year ago, be more confident on stage and be "more me. I wanted to express myself on stage and in interview, so this just feels so amazing that I got to become Miss Ohio by becoming the best version of me at the same time."
Finoti was among the top 10 semi-finalists last year at Miss Ohio. She came to the Miss Ohio stage this year as Miss Shawnee.
Runners-up:
- First runner-up: Miss Ohio River Olivia Fosson, 23, of Kitts Hill, who won a $4,500 scholarship.
- Second runner-up: Miss North Coast Caroline Trennepohl, 24, of Cincinnati, who won a $4,000 scholarship.
- Third runner-up: Miss Greater Cleveland Lucabella LaEace, 20, of Cincinnati. She won a $3,500 scholarship.
- Fourth runner-up: Miss Northern Ohio Caitlin Seifert, 25, of Niles. She won a $3,000 scholarship.
Rounding out the top 11: Miss Lake Erie Lauren Partin, 20, of Peebles, who was the People's Choice winner; Miss Greater Butler County Bryn Hasenaur, 24, of Holland; Miss Oxford Marisa Matsanoff, 24, of Pickerington; Miss Clayland Brittney Putman, 21, of Grove City; Miss Portsmouth Baylee Joy Martin, 23, of South Webster; and Miss Chillicothe Autumn Kessler, 27, of Bethesda, Ohio.
Miss Ohio 2024 Stephanie Finoti says she is first Brazilian Miss Ohio
Finoti said she can't wait to tell the people at Whitehall Public Library she won Miss Ohio.
"It's where I first began volunteering. They have done so much for me," she said.
Finoti said she believes she is the first Brazilian Miss Ohio. She said her parents are immigrants and did not know how to speak English very well when she was younger and the librarians taught her how to speak English.
"They taught me how to write, and from there it developed onto teaching others how to read and write and volunteering and becoming a leader. I've done a lot of my appearances there and so I know they are the first people I am excited to come back home to and tell them I am Miss Ohio," she said.
She often speaks to underrepresented women in the STEM field through her nonprofit, That STEM Girl, providing mentors and also encouraging women to enter STEM.
"As Miss Ohio I would do the same thing. I have this thing called the three 'Rs' ― resources, representation and recruitment, and that's my plan for Miss Ohio, to be the representation they need in the Miss Ohio program as a woman of color, the first woman of color in over 10 years to hold the title of Miss Ohio. I hope to recruit more marginalized young women by going out into the community, telling my stories, connecting with individuals and making these close-knit relationships within my community," she said. "And then, once I do that, I plan to give them the resources that they need to come into the program to succeed within this program and in their professional lives."
Farewell to Miss Ohio 2023 Madison Miller
Miss Ohio 2023 Madison Miller offered a look into her year of driving 30,000 miles across Ohio in her emotional farewell video, reminding the next Miss Ohio winner, "You can do hard things."
Miller also performed a classical piece on piano, the same one she performed at Miss America.
Miss Ohio 2011 Ellen Bryan and Tiffany Baumann Nelson, Miss Ohio 2000, served as co-emcees, asking the on-stage questions.
Baumann sang, and she told the crowd about her life in Texas, being a mother and marrying a pastor. She celebrated the 25th anniversary of her Miss Ohio win Saturday night.
Miss Ohio singers and dancers gave the crowd a glimpse of their musical talents throughout the night. And numerous former Miss Ohio title-holders shared a little about their lives since they were Miss Ohio.
Contestants were awarded numerous scholarship awards throughout the night.
Miss Ohio ready for Miss America stage
Finoti and new Miss Ohio's Teen Allie Gray, 17, of Celina, will compete at Miss America in January.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
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