STUDENT-ANNOUNCER NAMED MISS HIGH DESERT.

Byline: Greg Botonis Daily News Staff Writer

An Antelope Valley College student who wants to be a television or documentary journalist will represent the High Desert next June at the Miss California pageant.

Kimberly Gloudemans was crowned Miss High Desert on Sunday at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center in a Miss America preliminary competition, earning a $500 scholarship as well as a spot in the state pageant.

``I'm paying for college myself so this will give me the help I need to finish,'' Gloudemans said. ``I also really enjoyed working with the other girls. There's a real camaraderie in the whole competition. I just can't believe I won. It doesn't feel real yet, like I'm in a dream and any second I'll wake up.''

The Miss High Desert pageant was the first preliminary for the 2000 Miss America competition. This was the first year for a local pageant to feed into the Miss America system.

Eleven young women ages 17 to 19 went through stage interviews, a talent contest and a swimsuit competition before a panel of Miss America pageant judges.

``I began working with the Miss America Organization because of the incredible contributions they make to the education of these girls,'' said Lorayne Burch, organizer of the pageant and executive director of the Miss America Organization Local Committee. ``Now local girls have the chance to participate in the great program. It's a wonderful opportunity.''

Gloudemans, a 17-year-old who graduated a year early from Landmark Christian High School, attends Antelope Valley College and hopes to transfer in two years to the University of California, Los Angeles, where she plans to major in mass communication.

Gloudemans aims for a career in broadcast news or documentary work. She already works as a radio announcer for Christian radio station KAVC, and also works at the Antelope Valley Mall.

Gloudemans volunteers at the Antelope Valley Pregnancy Counseling Center and founded an organization called Teens Against Premarital Sex. She is the daughter of Lee and Kathy Gloudemans of Lancaster.

If Gloudemans wins the Miss California title and the accompanying $10,000 scholarship, she will go on to compete in the Miss America 2000 pageant in Atlantic City for $40,000 in scholarship money as well as the distinction associated with the title.

Scholarships also went to the top four runners-up in the High Desert pageant, which was open to young women from Santa Clarita to Victorville, but whose entrants were all from the Antelope Valley.

Kati Reno, 17, was first runner-up; Ami Proffit, 19, was second runner-up; Emily Guy, 18, was third runner-up; and Cristen Beavers, 17, was fourth runner-up. Each of the runners-up received scholarship grants ranging from $125 to $250.

The six semifinalists were Lynn Cabrera, 17; Jessica Reed, 18; Abigail BeMiller, 18; Ansley Youngblood, 17; Tara Hallmark, 19; and Nora Koehl, 17. Each received a $100 scholarship grant for participation.

California currently has the highest amount of grant money given away of any state by about $10,000.

``This program gives young women the opportunity for a quality education,'' said Vanabeth Trout, field director for the Miss America Organization and a member of the Miss California Organization. ``These are talented, intelligent and beautiful girls, and they competed brilliantly.'

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PHOTO (Color) Semifinalists Ansley Youngblood, left, and Tara Hallmark, right, applaud Kimberly Gloudemans, winner of the Miss High Desert pageant.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News