Breaks in the action for Miss Washington are few and far between.
As Devanni Partridge’s popularity grows, so do her responsibilities and her appearances.
For the 21-year-old Auburn woman, the whirlwind tour has only begun.
“I have an idea of what each day will bring, and it’s been different,” said Partridge, the 2007 Miss Auburn and 2009 Miss Seattle, who seized the state crown in July. “Every day is a huge gift. Each day is a surprise.”
The latest surprise came on a sun-splashed Thursday afternoon when city officials, family and friends converged at Bicentennial Park to unveil the hometown sign for the reigning Miss Washington.
The hometown sign, positioned on a utility pole at the busy corner of the Highway 18 off-ramp and Auburn Way South, rests below another sign dedicated to another famous Auburnite – Gov. Christine Gregoire.
A humbling honor for Partridge.
“I’m overwhelmed by the welcome, the honor Auburn has given me,” she said. “I just want to thank them for all the support.
“This is a gift. I am just blown away,” Partridge added. “Auburn has always been home, and for (the city) to honor me this way, it has been overwhelming. There is just no other way to describe it.”
The idea for the sign came from Mayor Pete Lewis, and city officials and other leaders, including the Miss Auburn Scholarship Pageant program, have supported it.
“We couldn’t be prouder,” said Nancy Backus, City Councilmember and president of the Miss Auburn Scholarship Pageant board. “She’s genuine in her actions and in her words.”
Partridge is only the second former Miss Auburn to become Miss Washington, following Amber Hamilton who seized the state tiara back in 1995.
Partridge will compete against 52 other contestants at the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas, Nev. She will participate in an 11-day experience there, culminating with the two-hour nationally televised finals (5 p.m., The Learning Channel) on Jan. 30 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
Partridge already has met her competition as a guest at the recent Miss America Oustanding Teen Pageant in Orlando, Fla. She also was introduced to the reigning Miss America, Katie Stam.
“The trip was quite possibly my most favorite experience,” Partridge said.
Partridge also has made several local and regional appearances, and plans to visit Hawaii next month to support Miss America program pageants.
To answer the call and fulfill a busy schedule, Partridge is delaying the completion of her schoolwork. Partridge, an Auburn High School graduate, is a Western Washington University pre-med senior student majoring in kinesiology.
“School is always going to be there,” she said, “but being Miss Washington will not.”
Partridge, a classically trained pianist with plenty of on-stage experience, is confident about her chances come January.
“I’m the second Miss Auburn to win Miss Washington and the first Miss Auburn to win Miss America,” she told the crowd. “I’m going to give it my best shot.”
Partridge, daughter of John and Shirlee Partridge, has two sisters, Laura and Anne. Anne also was the third runner-up in the 2009 Miss Auburn Scholarship Pageant.
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Follow Devanni Patridge on her blog, “The Dish on Dev,” at www.misswashington.org.
Partridge will tour the state on two platforms – her own for “Donate Life: The Importance of Organ and Tissue Donation” and the other for the Miss Washington state crusade that supports the Children’s Miracle Network.
For more information or to support organ donations, please visit www.donatelifetoday.com. To support Partridge’s mission or request an appearance, visit www.misswashington.org or mail contributions to: Miss Washington Scholarship Organization, P.O. Box 1549, Puyallup, WA 98371.
