By MARK KLAAS
mklaas@auburn-reporter.com
Allie Wallace’s outlook on life, her perspective on the human condition changed dramatically after a trip to Mexico as a teenager.
She was part of a team, a youth group mission that helped build homes for impoverished families.
“When she came home, she was completely heartbroken,” recalled her mother, Karma. “At 13, 14 years old, it was hard for her to understand how other people lived.”
The world, as the young Wallace knew it, changed. She changed, triggering a greater determination to make a difference in the lives of others.
As the new Miss Auburn, the 22-year-old Wallace welcomes the chance to serve others, push her agenda and fulfill dreams.
“I believe everybody here today and who they are is because of other people in their lives,” said Wallace, a Tahoma High graduate. “I think each and every person has a great influence on everyone.”
With extensive travel, training and desire, Wallace plans to make an impact locally and, given the chance one day, globally.
“I want to be a city planner for a developing country,” she said with little hesitation.
A poised and polished Wallace shone on the bright stage last Saturday night, capturing the crown in the Miss Auburn Scholarship Pageant.
Wallace’s all-around performance and appearance – from interviews to attire, platform to dance presentations – earned her high marks and the 2009 crown.
“I am amazed, I am shocked,” said Wallace, of Maple Valley, who outlasted 20 other young contestants to take the glittering tiara and silver platter in front of a large crowd at the Auburn Performing Arts Center.
“I can’t believe it,” Wallace said as she accepted congratulatory hugs and kisses. “I was surprised. I worked very, very hard for this, and I wanted it very badly. But I was greatly surprised.”
Wallace had passed this way before.
A senior majoring in economics at Seattle Pacific University, she returned to the pageant poised and ready to take it a step further. She finished second runner-up last year to Cara Rudd, another SPU product who graciously passed the crown to Wallace in the closing ceremony.
Did that experience help?
“It does,” Wallace said. “You’re definitely more confident and comfortable.”
Wallace performed a Middle Eastern-Greek dance with music by Warda Amr Diahs.
Contestants were judged in several categories, including interview and talent segments, along with appearances in evening wear and swimsuits.
For her efforts, Wallace received $11,989 in total gifts, awards and scholarships and the honor to represent the Auburn community in a variety of capacities this year. She also moves on to compete in the Miss Washington Pageant in July.
Colleen Rudd, 17, of Puyallup, was first runner-up. A pair of Auburn teens – Caitlyn Pritchard, 17, and Anne Partridge, 17, were second and third runners-up, respectively.
Wallace, daughter of John and Karma Wallace, brought a glowing resume and an ambitious platform – “Mentorships: Inspiring and Encouraging Growth in Young Women” – to the pageant.
Wallace, blessed with a tremendous work ethic and passion to succeed, comes from a family of modest means.
She intends to pursue her MBA in urban planning at the University of Washington. She hopes to work her way to other lands, to learn and study.
A mentor and leader with vast experiences for her age, Wallace has studied in France and Belize, traveled to Northern Ireland to live and work with struggling youth, and helped build homes for poor families in Mexico.
She also backpacked across Europe for six weeks, visiting 12 countries and 25 cities.
Her next planned trip is to Africa in March. She is preparing and raising funds to benefit communities in Sierra Leone.
In addition, Wallace has held many leadership roles in the community, having completed three mentor programs at SPU.
She speaks conversational French and works as an office administrator for a Seattle law firm.
“Her heart is definitely to help others, be a mentor and be a good example in the community,” said Karma Wallace. “She has the heart for it, and she puts her hands and feet to work.
“Auburn will be very pleased. She has a real desire to serve the community of Auburn.”
Wallace has climbed Mount Rainier and Mount Adams, and run the Bellevue Half-Marathon. The former Tahoma High School gymnast is training to run a full marathon in May.
Wallace has two brothers, Jonathan, 16, and Joel, 12.
Segale Properties sponsored Wallace in the pageant.
The Miss Auburn Scholarship Pageant raised nearly $54,000 in total gifts, awards and scholarships through pubic and private donations for the 21 contestants. The program also received more than $11,000 for the contestants in online donations through last Saturday.
It is the second year in which contestants were able to raise money through the pageant’s Web page – www.missauburn.org
About $4,000 was raised for the Auburn Food Bank, $3,000 of which came on the final night.
The pageant, sponsored by the Auburn Noon Lions, is regarded as the largest and most successful local program in the country.
The two-night program, under the direction of Jim Kleinbeck and Jamee Mahmood, carried the theme, “Lights, Camera, Action! … A Salute to Hollywood”.
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THE FINALISTS
• Winner: Allie Wallace, 22, Maple Valley
• Scholarship award: $4,500 (provided by Longhorn Barbecue and Miss Auburn
Scholarship program)
• Sponsor: Segale Properties
• First runner-up: Colleen Rudd, 17, Puyallup
• Scholarship: $2,000 (Jeff Oliphant, Auburn Professional Plaza)
• Sponsor: Scotty’s General Construction, Inc.
• Second runner-up: Caitlyn Pritchard, 17, Auburn
• Scholarship: $1,500 (Gosanko Chocolate Art)
• Sponsor: Rotary Club of Auburn
• Third runner-up: Anne Partridge, 17, Auburn
• Scholarship: $1,000 (Gosanko Chocolate Art)
• Sponsor: Auburn Noon Lions
• Fourth runner-up: Catherine Schukar, 20, Auburn
• Scholarship: $850 (Dr. Rohdy)
• Sponsor: Corestar Pilates
• Fifth runner-up: Erin Williams, 18, Auburn
• Scholarship: $750 (Budget Auto Wrecking)
• Sponsor: Shear Perfection
