Meet Miss McHenry

From the Thursday, June 25, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Meet Miss McHenry
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com

On stage, the new Miss McHenry is polished and proper.

But offstage, Hailee Pecoraro says she's OK with being a little sloppy.

"I don't mind getting dirty," said Pecoraro, 16, of McHenry. "If we're petting cows in the dirt, I don't mind getting messy."

Her high tolerance for messiness will bode well for her career choice, too.

Although only a junior at McHenry High School East Campus, she already knows that she wants to become a nurse who helps deliver babies.

"I think that's fascinating," she said, adding that she plans to attend Winona State University in Minnesota when she graduates.

Pecoraro placed first among eight contestants at the June 21 Miss McHenry pageant.

The runner-up was Kasi Pauletto, 17.

Miss Congeniality was Sarah Hodge, 16, and Miss Photogenic was Ashley Redmond, 17.

"When they announced my name, it was so unexpected," Pecoraro said.

Before the pageant, the contestants completed seven weeks of charm class, learned about stage turns and stage presence, and performed volunteer work in the area.

Pecoraro said one of the things that she enjoyed the most was volunteering to wrap Mother's Day presents at a Border's bookstore.

"The little girls who came in with books for their moms had smiles on their faces," she said.

Pecoraro's first appearance as Miss McHenry will be at tonight's City Band Concert at Veterans Memorial Park in McHenry. She will be helping kids with arts and crafts during the concert.

Pecoraro also will be at Petersen Farm during festivities there Sunday and greeting fireworks watchers at Petersen Park on July 5. The farm and the park are off opposite sides of McCullom Lake Road west of Route 31 in McHenry.

Pecoraro will compete July 30 in the Miss McHenry County pageant during the McHenry County Fair.