CRYSTAL Fiona Rio was crowned the 2021 Miss Northern Marianas Earth on Saturday in the Hyatt Regency Saipan ballroom.
Crystal Fiona Rio is the new Miss NMI Earth.
She is the third environmental beauty queen to represent the CNMI in the Miss Earth pageant that will be held virtually this November.
On Saipan, Rio went head-to-head with seven other contestants to vie for the local crown.
The new environmental beauty queen is an 18-year-old college student who attended Saipan Southern High School and is currently working toward a degree in psychology.
A Chalan Kanoa resident whose advocacy is pollution education, Rio said she wants to educate the CNMI community on the different types of pollution that affect the environment.
Rio also won the Miss Northern Marianas Earth People’s Choice and Best in Evening Gown awards.
Coming in second place and crowned Miss Air was Sue Ann Marie Huevo, whose advocacy is to “go green” to reduce pollution and environmental toxins that could affect the human immune system.
She also won the Miss Earth Northern Marianas Exquisite Star Award.
Second runner-up and crowned Miss Water was Justine Rain Selepeo Kirby whose advocacy is to spread knowledge about environmental health and the ways that it can be put into practice.
She also won the Best in Native Costume and Best in Swimsuit awards.
Third runner-up and crowned Miss Fire was Stephanie Borja of Tinian whose advocacy is to sustain and conserve the wealth of the land and the ocean for the people of today and the people of the future.
She also won the Miss Friendship and Miss Photogenic awards.
Macey Fujihira won the Miss Earth Environmental Award while Megan Hemley won the No Makeup Challenge Award.
The other contestants were Tawnie Borja and Bianca Joy Zapata.
This year’s pageant judges were 2019 Miss NMI Earth Leisha Deleon Guerrero, Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Priscilla Iakopo, 2021 Youth Congress Speaker Cielo Long, Tan Siu Lin Foundation executive director Merlie Tolentino, and Chamorro and Carolinian Language and Heritage Studies Program director Jonas M. Barcinas.
The 2021 Miss Earth NMI pageant was made possible by its sponsors, including Megabyte, the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, the Marianas Visitors Authority, IT&E CNMI, Coca-Cola Beverage Company (Micronesia), Inc., Foremost Foods Saipan, Island Touch by Phillip, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Gold’s Gym Saipan, Latte Built Gym Saipan, Topnotch, Rosal/Zest Enterprise, Kensington Hotel, and Bridge Capital, LLC.
Every year, 80 to 90 Miss Earth candidates from all over the world compete on beauty and knowledge of environmental issues.
Miss Earth serves as the “ambassador to environmental protection campaigns worldwide.”
The reigning Miss Earth is Lindsey Coffey of the U.S.
From left, Macey Fujihira, second runner-up 2021 Miss Water Justine Rain Selepeo Kirby, first runner-up 2021 Miss Air Sue Ann Marie Huevos, 2021 Miss NMI Earth Crystal Fiona Rio, third runner-up 2021 Miss Fire Stephanie Borja, and 3 Megan Hemley.
From left, pageant judge and Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Priscilla Iakopo, first runner-up Miss Air Sue Ann Marie Huevos, 2021 Miss NMI Earth Crystal Fiona Rio, 2020 Miss NMI Earth Maria Lael Terlaje, and Tan Siu Lin Foundation president and chief executive officer Jerry Tan.
