The Bedford-Katonah region will be proudly represented by Carla Escriva and Danielle Ricci when they take the stage at the 2012 Miss New York USA competition next week at Purchase College.

Ricci lives in Katonah and graduated from Somers High School and Wheaton College. She is a 24 year-old model, actress and singer who first became aware of the pageant while scanning the casting pages last spring.

Sounding confident and excited, she said that since joining the competition and blogging about her experience in July, many people in the community have rallied around her.

“The support has been so great—I’ve gotten sponsorships and assistance from local businesses like Elephant’s Trunk and Sollia Salon and even a designer in Italy whose gowns I will wear,” she said.

And with solid aspirations for a career in the entertainment industry, Ricci thinks of the pageant as a great platform to do even bigger and better things, including fundraising and charity work. “It is amazing how much you get back when you give,” she said. “I have been involved in fundraising for cancer and with supporting the troops through Wounded Warriors—many doors have already opened.”

Carla Escriva, 21, a John Jay High School graduate who hails from Cross River, is competing as “Miss Northern Westchester” in the pageant and also sees the experience as a wonderful opportunity to reach out to the community to spread a message that is close to her heart.

She hopes to increase awareness about the HPV virus and cervical cancer—Escriva herself was diagnosed with an early stage of the disease in 2008.

“This pageant came at a perfect time for me as a survivor,” she said. “If I win, I would continue to spread the message of determination and personal strength, and give people crucial information about the virus.” The college senior who is majoring in fashion merchandising also wants people to know that pageants are not all about exterior beauty.

“The competition is really about the pursuit of excellence within—beauty, intelligence, knowledge—and showing the world what you have to offer,” she said.

The approximately 150 participants in the Miss New York USA will begin their competition following the Miss Teen competition, with their main event taking place on January 14, at 7:30 p.m.

Eleven judges will evaluate the contestants based on character, poise, confidence and personality in three areas: interview, swimsuit and evening gown. The final winner will go on to compete in the 61^st Miss USA pageant on June 3, which is the precursor to the Miss Universe pageant.

In the week leading up to the big day, however, Ricci said she is focusing on double daily workouts at the gym and thinking about the crowd who will be cheering her on. “Forty people from my family are coming to watch,” she said.

Tickets are available for the Miss New York USA takes which takes place the weekend of January 13-15 at Purchase College Performing Arts Center and can also be seen on a live stream of the event.