World Photo by Alex Powers Kirsti Gaunt crosses the stage at the Hales Performing Arts Center shortly after being crowned Miss Coos County 2008 on Saturday.

It was a competition for the talented, the poised.

Nine women aspired for the crown and scholarships in the competition Saturday night at the Hales Performing Arts Center at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay.

In the end, judges crowned Kirsti Gaunt as Miss Coos County 2008 on Saturday. Gaunt contended with eight other girls during the pageant with her platform calling for more “circulation of the arts in our community.”

“I wasn’t even expecting it,” Gaunt said dazedly after the pageant. “There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, but it’s completely worth it because you can gain so much out of it.”

The 18-year-old studies biology at Southwestern Oregon Community College and plans on pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Teagan Trentz, 15, was honored with the title of 2008 Miss Outstanding Teen for Coos County.

The Miss Coos County Scholarship Program pageant is the local preliminary to Miss Oregon and Miss America. The Miss America organization is the largest provider of scholarships for women in the world.

Last year, the Miss Coos County Scholarship Program helped young women access more than $10,000 in educational scholarships. The Scholarship Program is a nonprofit organization supported solely on the generosity and support of the local communities.