Miss. Yuma. County.

When pageant judges asked Antigone Mitchell to describe herself in three words or less, she knew exactly what to say: "Miss...Yuma...County."

Just minutes later Mitchell could have added "winner" to her list.

The senior at Kofa High School who does everything from swimming and dancing to fighting domestic violence and raising pigs was crowned Miss Yuma County 2009 during the annual pageant Saturday. Fourteen girls were going for the glory that night, which offered crowns, sashes and big scholarships. In all $16,000 in scholarships were given out to the girls.

Mitchell was crowned by Miss Yuma County 2008 Stephani Costanza, a moment that proved magical for the new pageant queen.

"I was ecstatic! When Stephani came running up to me I just couldn't believe it," Mitchell said. "At that moment I didn't even care if I won. I was just having so much fun and I was so confident and I was ready for everything."

By Sunday morning, when it was time for the traditional interview with the newspaper, the new Miss Yuma County said she was still getting accustomed to the new proverbial crown upon her head.

"Honestly, it's crazy. It hasn't set in yet," Mitchell said. "Last night I just kept thinking about it and thinking 'Wow. Tomorrow I wake up and go to my first official Miss Yuma County event!'"

Well, the honor may be recent for Mitchell, but her work that won pageant judges' admiration is certainly anything but new. Mitchell's pageant platform was ending domestic violence, an issue she has been actively working with for several years, long before the speeches, questions and talent routines.

In fact, Mitchell said she wanted to win Miss Yuma County as a way to help further her campaign against violence in the home.

"I'm already active with my platform, so I really wanted to win so I can continue doing that," she said. "I have a name somewhat now to really reach out there. I hope that since people know what I'm doing they will come out, talk to me and I'll be able to help them. Hopefully people will feel comfortable with me."

Mitchell's mother is one of the founders of Amberly's Place, a local nonprofit organization committed to helping victims of abuse.

"So I've known about Amberly's Place my entire life and I've always been involved, doing community service for them," Mitchell said. "Girls just need to know that violence is wrong and they need to be educated about this issue."

The daughter of Karen Watts and Michael Mitchell also boasts quite a sports record in the swimming pool. She competes on the Kofa team and has gone to state every year.

"I love swimming. It's just what I do," she said. "It's so much fun and it's really the best thing you can do for your body."

But just because she has pretty poise and can pull off gowns and crowns, doesn't mean that Mitchell doesn't have a rougher and tougher side. She stressed that she's just as happy dancing or doing public speaking or standing in the muck taking care of her 4-H pigs.

"I'm very well rounded, I guess you could say!" she said. "I have chickens, rabbits, a rooster and pigs."

However, it's her hobby of dancing that best prepared Mitchell for her big win Saturday. She has been dancing in school productions and with Dance Etc. for years now. Mitchell stressed that her comfort on stage sure came in handy in her quest for the crown.

"I'm so grateful that I've performed all my life and I kind of had a head start on things," she said. "To me dancing is just having fun. You can release anything. You're a different person on stage."

Mitchell will now compete in the Miss Arizona Pageant.

But first she has to finish high school, after which she plans to study nursing.

There's a lot ahead of her, but Mitchell says she's ready to go forward with all that she's learned already from the pageant experience and with her Miss Yuma County crown proudly on her head.

"This is going to benefit me so much in life," she said. "I've already opened myself up to so many opportunities and ideas. I'm just looking forward to it all. I was kind of scared at first, but things are really falling into place!"


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Darin Fenger can be reached at dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.