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Iyla O’Connor crowned Miss Sunrise Side 2021

ALCONA COUNTY, Mich. — After a pandemic hiatus, Northeast Michigan has a new Miss Sunrise Side!

Iyla O’Connor took home the title on Saturday night, along with a $1,000 scholarship.

The pageant scholarship program has run for more than 30 years, for young women between 13 and 26 years old.

Organizer Ann Kramer said some choose to use the money for a degree, while others use it to build their skills.

“Our past Miss Sunrise Side has taken on a second language. She is now fully fluent in Japanese and is spending time as a translator between Japan and the United States.”

Miss America pageants, including Miss Sunrise Side, are among the leading scholarship programs for young women in the US.

This year’s pageant had 20 participants, one of the largest groups they’ve had in years.