Riding high: Miss Yuma County Jade Miller enjoying reign

When 17-year-old Jade Miller was crowned Miss Yuma County 2010, she had no idea what the pageant world would bring.

She never planned on being a beauty queen and competed in the scholarship pageant “just to see what would happen.”

Miller ended up being crowned in the Nov. 7 competition.

“I just knew I was up to having a great time and seeing where God could take me,” she said. “Soon to find out, I won and in my life I was starting a whole new adventure.”

Now, eight months into her reign, she believes her experience as Miss Yuma County “has been totally worth it.”

“I have been blessed with such a great opportunity to serve the people in my community, getting to be personal with complete strangers and becoming even more involved with the city of Yuma,” Miller told the Yuma Sun.

Her platform is “promoting youth involvement in the community and creating a culture of youth with purpose.”

However, she's quick to point out that “my platform as Miss Yuma County is not just a platform. It's a lifestyle. I live to serve.”

Miller is the daughter of “an incredible, hard working mother,” DeLora Christie, and sister to “a very loving brother,” Jazz Miller. She was born in Palm Springs, Calif., and moved to Yuma when she was 6.

She recently graduated from Kofa High School and will attend Arizona Western College, where she plans to earn an associate's degree ultimately getting a bachelor's degree in business. She says she hopes to eventually make her way to Hillsong International Leadership College, a Bible school in Australia.

In the meantime, she's enjoying her reign as Miss Yuma County, making numerous appearances at local events, such as the Special Olympics, Veterans Day Parade, Silver Spur Rodeo and the Champion Church Run for Hunger.

She was a special guest at Ken and Betty Borland Holiday Pageant and Friendship Tower Lighting, Yuma Kennel Dog Show, Pacesetter Home Centers Winter Holiday Open House and Sen. John McCain's town hall meeting held in Yuma.

She was also a judge at the Gary A. Knox School Spelling Bee and Yuma High School's “Mr. Criminal” Contest.

She performed at the Toastmasters ROCKS contest and was a performer and speaker at the Women's Expo.

She also participated in the Tri-tip BBQ to benefit earthquake relief funds for people in Mexico.

But one of the highlights of her reign has been the state pageant, which took place June 19 in Gilbert.

“The state pageant was overall a great experience,” she said. “It was so unusual to be in an unfamiliar town all on my own, but in a way it was so great to have only God and myself to rely on and, of course, all of my board members who were a huge help the whole week.”

At the beginning of the week, Miller recalled, she and the other contestants spent hours learning all the dances for the production, “which turned out great, might I add.”

Her favorite part was the first night of the show. “During the first production number, ‘We Will Rock You' by Queen, I was able to spot out my mom and one of my best friends, Adriana (Espinoza). As soon as I saw them in the audience I was so excited to do the show.

“Even though my day was already going great, seeing them made it a million times better and my nerves went away and I was able to completely enjoy the show.”

For the talent portion, Miller sang “Note to God” by Charice.

“I love to sing,” she explained. “Ever since I was able to talk I was singing. I've grown up doing countless talent shows.”

When she's not making appearances as Miss Yuma County, Miller is involved in leading worship at Champion Church, redesigning her room (“I am constantly thinking of new ways and inventing ideas”) and hunting for new high heels (“I think I have almost 30 pairs so far”).

As for her reign as Miss Yuma County, “I would do it again any day. I wouldn't want to miss out on the opportunity to bless others and make more friends.”

And making so many new friends is what has made the last few months so special for her.

“I would like people to know that I've always got open arms for new friends.”

Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@yumasun.com or 539-6856.