Former Miss Yuma County crowned Miss Pima County

A former Miss Yuma County seems to be collecting counties and crowns.

Yuma native Stephanie Brooks, now a dance major in Tucson, was recently crowned Miss Pima County. It's been two years since she's had a crown on her head and Brooks said winning yet another title has simply been thrilling.

"It's been really exciting," she told The Sun during a phone interview. "I'm really excited to have a year to serve Pima County."

The daughter of Jeanine and Mark Brooks was crowned Miss Yuma County back in 2005. She then competed at Miss Arizona, where she earned the Miss Arizona Non-Finalist Talent Award. She also earned the Miss America Organization's State Community Service Award.

Brooks, 20, will now return to Miss Arizona for a second chance at that crown June 19-21.

The pageant winner said she couldn't quite put a finger on the exact strength that carried her to glory with Miss Pima County. She stressed that she's simply thrilled to have yet another chance to further spread the word concerning her pageant platform, which is education regarding women and heart disease.

Brooks competed against six other young women for the honor.

"Stephanie is a lovely young woman inside and out, and is an amazing dancer," said Geneva Sibley, the pageant's executive director. "I watched her compete at Miss Arizona 2005 as Miss Yuma County and was captivated by her then. I feel that she would be a wonderful Miss Arizona, and that Arizona would be extremely proud to see her grace the Miss America Stage one day."

Brooks said she's not only learned a great deal about herself through competing in pageants, but she's also learned much about the world around her.

"Since I've been Miss Yuma County I've learned the value of keeping up with current events, reading the newspaper everyday and keeping watch on what's going on in the world," she said. "It's expanded my perception of the world - my world."

Brooks is a junior at the University of Arizona and says she plans to either pursue graduate studies or join a Christian dance company based in Houston, Texas.

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