Community Corner
York Student Aims To Be Miss Teen Illinois Latina
She is passionate about music and loves chihuahuas and cats, her mother said.
ELMHURST, IL – A York High School student is competing in the Miss Teen Illinois Latina pageant this spring in Chicago.
Bella Barrientos, a freshman, turned 15 in December. Her title is Miss Elmhurst Latina.
In an email to Patch last week, Silvia Cruz, Barrientos' mother, said the Miss Teen Latina Organization encourages young Latinas to become role models, empowering them through local involvement, education, and purpose.
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"She carries the vibrant spirit of Mexico and Guatemala in her roots, a very sharp personality and a strong character," Cruz said. "She is also passionate about music, loves chihuahuas and cats."
Cruz said her daughter aspires to become a businesswoman specializing in the hotel industry. Bella is the youngest of Cruz's two daughters.
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She said her daughter's first pageant achievement came through the Women in Peace Movement, where she earned her first crown.
The Miss Teen Illinois Latina pageant is set for April 26.
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