By MADDY VITALE
Sarah Avellino isn’t new to pageants. She’s been a runner-up in a few.
In 2018, she was second runner-up in the Little Miss Ocean City Pageant and in 2019 she was third runner-up for Little Miss.
But on Saturday night, the 2024 Junior Miss Ocean City crown belonged to her.
The 14-year-old with a beaming smile walked out onto the stage at the Ocean City Music Pier and sang and danced her way into the hearts of the judges, becoming the next Junior Miss Ocean City.
The theme was “USA” and the opening, upbeat number set the tone for the entertaining pageant, where contestants showcased their unique styles dancing and singing.
First runner-up was Sarah Smith, 13, of Ocean City. Second runner-up was Suzy Bautista, 15, of Ocean City.
Sarah Avellino, whose family has a home in Ocean City and Newtown Square, Pa., dressed in a white, glittery long gown for the talent portion of the contest. She sang “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Her voice resonated through the Music Pier. The crowd erupted in applause.
Among her accolades Saturday night were awards for Poise and Composure and the Miss Congeniality Award, chosen by her fellow contestants.
After the crowning, Sarah celebrated with her family and posed for photos backstage at the Music Pier.
Sarah’s parents, Scott and Mimi Avellino, and her siblings, Maggie, 19, and Scott, 21, hugged her, and congratulated her.
“We are so proud of her,” Mimi said. “She has tried so hard.”
Sarah said she is looking forward to all of the special events she will attend in her role as a pageant winner and city ambassador.
“I’m so excited,” she said.
Second runner-up Suzy Bautista received high praise and took top honors for her interview question. She spoke of how proud she is of her Hispanic heritage. In addition, she wowed the judges with her traditional dance.
First runner-up Sarah Smith also lit up the stage when she performed a self-choreographed dance routine to “Do It Like This.”
The other contestants for Junior Miss Ocean City 2024 were Arianna DiAntonio, Brooke DeLanzo, Gia Ermilio and April Wright. All of the contestants won awards. Arianna, the 2022 Little Miss Ocean City, received the talent award for her memorable dance number.
While there was much happiness for the Avellino family, Mimi said that Sarah had dedicated the pageant to her late brother, Andrew, and late sister, Carly. Andrew passed away in an accident in 2009 at just 17 months old and Carly died shortly after being born.
“She had her special bracelet,” Mimi said. “And she had Andrew and Carly’s names engraved in her interview jacket.”
Sarah, who will be a freshman at an all-girls school in Pennsylvania in the fall, is very active in her school. She is in the choir and was the vice president of Student Council while in eighth grade. Mimi said Sarah would like to become an ambassador for new students.
Sarah not only sings in her school choir, but she is also a longtime member of the Ocean City Theatre Company. She was in a production this summer of “Mean Girls.”
Mimi Avellino, who grew up in Ocean City, noted that OCTC and the family’s love of Ocean City keeps them tied to the resort for weekends and weekdays throughout the year.
Among the highlights of Saturday night’s Junior Miss Ocean City Pageant were appearances by other crown holders, including newly crowned 2024 Miss Ocean City Lola DeMarco.
Lola danced to a song she dedicated to her late mother, Kim DeMarco, called “Let Her Go” by Passenger. And 2024 Little Miss Ocean City Stella Fleming, crowned Friday night, performed a dance number to “All That Jazz.”
A portion of the program included a video farewell to 2023 Junior Miss Ocean City Antonella DiAntonio. Antonella was joined on stage by 2023 Little Miss Lyla Clark as the audience watched a retrospective of her reign as Junior Miss Ocean City.
In it, she spoke of the lifelong bonds she made with fellow crown holders, her family, her closeness with her sister, 2022 Little Miss Ocean City Arianna DiAntonio, and her friendship with 2023 Miss Ocean City Grace Oves.
Michael Allegretto, aide to Mayor Jay Gillian, presented Antonella with a ceremonial key to the city for being an ambassador for the town.
The emcees were friends and former Miss Ocean City pageant winners Tricia Bowman-Branch, who was also Miss New Jersey in 1989, and Gwen Goldberg Fritsch.
The contestants received prizes and gifts from local sponsors in the city-hosted pageant. City employees Lauren Gillian and Samantha Heckler organized the pageant.
The Little Miss Pageant is for girls ages 8-11. Junior Miss is for girls 12-15 and Miss Ocean City is for contestants 16-20.
To watch the pageant video, courtesy of Martin Fiedler, Just Right TV Productions, click the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txn0yZNCRaA&feature=youtu.be
Here is the list of award winners provided by Ocean City on Monday:
Junior Miss Ocean City 2024 Awards
Program Book: Gia Ermilio
Hostess Award: Suzy Bautista
Spirit Award: April Wright
Miss Congeniality: Sarah Avellino
Service to Community: Brooke Delanzo
Academic Achievement: Arianna DiAntonio
Poise and Composure: Sarah Avellino
On-stage question: Suzy Bautista
Interview: Sarah Smith
Talent: Arianna DiAntonio
