Fil-Am beauty shines in New Jersey pageant

Christi Landrito McGarry may have missed just by one notch the right to represent New Jersey in Miss Teen USA in 2008. But for thousands of Filipino Americans in the state, Christi is their winner – a full complement of beauty and brains. The 17-year-old stunner was adjudged first runner-up in the Miss New Jersey Teen USA recently, besting a large field of more than 120 finalists from all over the state. Christi, who stands 5’11", is a senior at McNair Academic High School, currently ranked the number one high school in New Jersey and among the top 100 nationwide. Here, she is captain and four-time Most Valuable Player of the McNair varsity basketball team. Yet before stepping into high school, she graduated valedictorian from Our Lady of Victories School in 2004. That was the year Christi won the Miss Teen Philippines USA. Two years later in 2006, she was named Teen Ambassadress to the Philippines. This year, she was declared one of America’s five prettiest Filipino Americans. Finally last August, her youthful pretty face graced the cover of Seventeen magazine. “This kind of competition is an excellent experience as it opens up much more opportunities for me in the future," Christi said. Born and raised in New Jersey, Christi is the daughter of Christopher McGarry and the former Victoria Landrito. - Philippine News