Courtesy: Miss Hawaii Teen USA
BY HONOLULU PULSE STAFF / staff@honolulupulse.com
Miss Hawaii Teen USA Kathryn Sachiko Teruya was the first-ever winner of the Miss Teen USA Fan Vote, winning her a spot in the semifinals of the pageant staged in the Bahamas on Saturday.
Teruya was among the top 16, while Connecticut’s Logan West was crowned Miss Teen USA 2012. The 51 contestants competed in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview.
Teruya won her Hawaii crown in November at the Miss Hawaii Teen USA pageant, staged by executive directors and designers Eric Chandler and Takeo.
Teruya is the daughter of Kim and Luke Teruya of Kahala. According to her biography on the Miss Teen USA website, the Iolani student is of Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, English, German, Hungarian and Romanian ancestry. She has been dancing hula, Tahitian dance, ballet and jazz since she was 3.
At school, she is an honor student, the president of the Key Club, and a member of the track team. Teruya is also an active volunteer and recently partnered with Mrs. America 2012, Lara Fonoimoana, to recruit 1,000 Awaiaulu volunteers. Awaiaulu volunteers assist in transcribing Hawaiian newspapers dating from 1850 to the present. Their goal is to educate others about and preserve Hawaii’s rich history.
Three fun facts about the Hawaii teen were listed on the website:
1. She works in her father’s pediatric dentistry office as a dental hygienist assistant.
2. Teruya tried to change her name to “Katerina” when she was 10 and claims it was one of the craziest things she has ever done.
3. No matter what song is playing, she can create a hula or Tahitian dance to go with it.
Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2012, Kathryn Sachiko Teruya, competes in the evening gown competition during the 2012 Miss Teen USA Show at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas Saturday. IMAGE COURTESY Miss Hawaii Teen USA
IMAGE COURTESY: Miss Hawaii Teen USA