Courtesy photo Kendall Fisher, 17, left, Miss Teen Moorpark, and Claire Volk, 19, Miss Moorpark, both have good things to say about Moorpark and want to spread the word to others during their reigns.

Claire Volk has always considered herself an ambassador for Moorpark.

In March, the 19-year-old Moorpark College student became an official spokeswoman after winning the Miss Moorpark competition.

Kendall Fisher, 17, was crowned Miss Teen Moorpark.

"This is a really friendly place," said Volk about her hometown. "I want to tell people about Moorpark."

Both Volk and Fisher will be singing the praises of their hometown and representing the city at events throughout Ventura County during the next year.

The competition took place March 10 at the Moorpark High School Performing Arts Center. Volk was one of five young women who competed for the title of Miss Moorpark. The native of Moorpark impressed the judges with her poise, eloquence and vocal performance. She also won for best interview and was voted Miss Congeniality by the other contestants.

Fisher beat six other teenagers for the title of Miss Teen Moorpark. The Moorpark High School junior class president and ASB president impressed the judges with her original poetry and poise, and she won a special honor for her community service. She has maintained a 4.3 grade-point average while working as a volunteer at Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center and founding the Finding a Cure for Cancer Club at the high school in honor of her parents, who are both cancer survivors.

"This community has really been good to my family," Fisher said about Moorpark. "I just want to tell others what a great place this is."

Volk received a $500 scholarship, and Fisher won $300.

The Miss Moorpark program has given out more than $50,000 in scholarships to young women in Moorpark since its inception in the 1940s, when the Jaycees sponsored the competition, said Jackie Youngern, executive director of the Miss Moorpark Scholarship Foundation. The Women of Moorpark Enjoying Networking took over the program in the late 1970s and ran the program until the foundation took over the competition last year.

At this year's pageant, the foundation gave away $2,350, which includes $75 to each nonfinalist.

"Our focus is really on community service," said Youngern about the pageant's mission. "We look at our winners as leaders in the community and role models for other young women."

Youngern said the Miss Moorpark competition is not a beauty pageant. The contestants are not judged on their physical beauty, and the pageant does not have a bathing suit competition. The contestants are judged on their private interviews, talent, their responses to on-stage questions, evening wear, community service/extracurricular activities and academic achievement.

The other contestants for Miss Moorpark were Ashley Cordero, 17, first runner-up and Miss Academic; Heather Bird, 18, Miss Community Service; Yesmeen Scamahorn, 20, Miss Talent; and Meghan Molden, 17.

Also vying for the Miss Teen Moorpark title, were Chaya Turrow, 14, first runner-up, Miss Teen Top Talent, and People's Choice winner; Meagan Bryan, 13, second runner-up and top interview teen; Rachel Montoya, 13, most ticket sales and sponsors; Karli Reynolds, 14, Miss Photogenic; Katie O'Tousa, 14; and Abagail Sichmeller, 14.

For more information about the pageant, call 529-6086 or visit http://www.missmoorpark.com.