Maaikee Pronda, the reigning Miss Fountain Valley, was crowned second runner-up at the Miss California competition in Fresno Friday.
Pronda won $5,000 in scholarship money at the competition, which is a preliminary to the Miss America contest. This is the highest a Miss Fountain Valley contestant has placed in the Miss California program.
“This week meant so much to me.” Pronda said. “At the end of the day, I’m just so thankful to this organization and for the support from the city – the City Council, Summerfest – leading up to Miss California. All that support helped me have so much confidence leading up to the final week.”
For her talent, Pronda sang “Someone Like You” from the musical “Jekyll and Hyde.” She also answered on-stage interview questions, walked the red carpet for the evening wear segment and pitched her social impact initiative, “S.T.E.M. Powered – Empowering Youth through S.T.E.M (science, technology, engineering and math).”
At age 20, Pronda earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at UC Irvine and is employed by a global medical device company headquartered locally where she manages a team of engineers and helps oversee one of the company’s largest product lines.
She graduated magna cum laude from both Fountain Valley High School and UC Irvine. At UCI, she was president of the Engineering Student Council and initiated “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day,” which partnered local companies with Girls Scouts and their parents during an interactive learning event. Among honors she has received are the UCI Biomedical Engineering Student of the Year, the Outstanding Engineering Student Award given by the Orange County Engineering Council, and UCI’s Chancellor’s Award of Distinction.
Pronda’s local sponsors are the Huntington Beach Automobile Association, Law Offices of Kevin Hizon, Esq., Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Alex A. Accetta, CPA & Associates, Inc., and Vince Sosa Real Estate Team.
This was the third time Pronda competed in the Miss America program. Her combined winnings tally $17,300 in scholarships.
“I am so proud her. Maaikee has been a joy to work with and is a talented and ambitious young woman,” said Sandi Licata, executive director of the Miss Fountain Valley Scholarship Program.
What’s next for Pronda?
“The next part of my journey is to continue to work,” she said. “I’m really pushing forward with my social initiative – to empower youth through S.T.E.M.”
The three top finishers in Friday’s pageant have Orange County ties. Miss Los Angeles County Jazmin Avalos, a Cal State Fullerton graduate from Garden Grove, was crowned Miss California. Miss Orange County Elizabeth Sartuche, was first runner-up, and Pronda was second runner-up.
The Miss Fountain Valley Scholarship Program is preparing for its next competition in March 2022. The competition will be open to young women ages 18 to 25 who live, work or attend school in Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach or Costa Mesa and to students of UC Irvine and Concordia University.
More information: MissFountainValley.com