Active Teen Volunteer Named Miss Wantagh 2013

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy last fall, Wantagh High School student Angelica Balitsos was in Long Beach with her church volunteering to help victims of the Oct. 29 superstorm who were struggling to get back on their feet.

Balitsos’ activism with St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Hempstead assisting those in need is one avenue the incoming high school junior uses to help others and on Thursday morning she was rewarded for her volunteerism by being crowned Miss Wantagh 2013. Her crowning achievement was announced during a ceremony in front of Wantagh Elementary School following the Wantagh Fourth of July Parade.

“It means a lot to me,” said Balitsos moments after learning she had captured the 58th annual Miss Wantagh Pageant that was held on Monday evening. “I was shocked.”

The Miss Wantagh Pageant, which was first held in 1956, is not a traditional beauty pageant and instead rewards local high school-aged girls for academic and community service excellence. There were six other Miss Wantagh finalists in 2013.

The first runner up for Miss Wantagh 2013 was Michele Steinberg, who is entering her junior year at Wantagh High School and is planning to pursue a career in nutrition. Aspiring teacher Kaitlyn von Runnen, who will also be a Wantagh High School junior this spring, was named second runner up.

Balitsos is a member of Model Congress, the Girl Scouts and Greek Orthodox Youth of America. She is also part of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, varsity swim team and played junior varsity lacrosse this past spring.

Balitsos, who hopes to pursue a career in nursing, said for her Miss Wantagh community project she would like to work toward bringing the Mary Brennan Inn soup kitchen to Wantagh after assisting in the program feeding needy families through her church. The Wantagh High School student said going to Long Beach High School last year to hand out clothing to residents in that area displaced by Sandy was a rewarding experience and she looks forward to making the same difference in Wantagh.