Miss Hawaii crown is placed atop Teruya

The generations before her and the generations that will follow her: Kathryn Teruya could visualize her place in that circle of life as she was crowned Miss Hawaii 2017 on Saturday night at the Hawaii Theatre.

“I mentioned that on stage and I really mean it,” Teruya said backstage moments after receiving her crown from Miss Hawaii 2016 Allison Carol Nanea Chu.

Competing as Miss Kaka‘ako, Teruya beat 14 other contestants to become the 73rd Miss Hawaii.

In addition to winning the overall title and the opportunity to represent Hawaii at the 97th Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., in September, Teruya won the talent category award with her high-kicking dance performance of “I Want to Be a Rockette.” She also received the Miss America/First Hawaiian Bank Community Serv­ice Award.

Four other women went home as finalists: Miss Central Oahu Carissa Kano was first runner-up. The second runner-up spot went to Miss Oahu Amber Aduja. Miss Kahala Penelope Ng Pack was third runner-up. Fourth runner-up was Miss Leeward Oahu Alyson Tsui.

Kano also won the Spirit Award for top combined ticket and sponsorship sales. Aduja won the swimsuit competition. Miss Diamond Head Kylee Ann Kamalani received the Congeniality Award and Scholarship, and Miss East Oahu Robynn Corneau won the Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Maker Award.

A panel of seven judges scored the contestants on their appearance in bikinis and evening gowns, their talent and their ability to stay on point while answering a “surprise question” on stage. The contestants’ scores also included the judges’ assessment of their conversational skills in interviews earlier in the week.

Teruya’s winning dance number was one of several noteworthy performances in the talent segment.

Miss Kona Coffee Jessica Lloyd delivered showstopping acrobatic choreography to “Feeling Good.” Tsui overcame the distractions caused by sound system problems to give a superb performance of “Con Te Partiro.” Ng Pack brought a touch of old-time Hollywood to the proceedings with a spirited update of a 1944-vintage song-and-dance number, “Stuff Like That There.” Miss Paradise Latina Noe Baladad performed on grand piano her dramatic rendition of Liszt’s “Rigoletto: Concert Paraphrase.”