‘Last-minute’ contestant earns Fathoms’ crown

Even before she was crowned this year’s Fathoms o’Fun Queen, Sandy Bradley’s mother said the 18-year-old had done plenty to make her proud.

“We expect great things from her,” said Leanne Bradley, describing her daughter as a “whiz” with a natural curiosity who has been “reading since she was 3-years-old.”

And when she was in elementary school, the elder Bradley said her daughter decided to start a sign language club, taking it upon herself to teach the neighborhood sign language.

Last Saturday, Sandy Bradley added Fathoms Queen to her list of accomplishments, winning the title along with five other awards including written and oral essay, artistic expression/talent and Miss Congeniality.

“It’s really exciting,” Bradley said of her win, explaining that she signed up for the contest at the “last possible minute,” officially applying “the week before they started judging.”

After spending this spring and summer representing Port Orchard at numerous festivals across the state — and, of course, the city’s Fathoms o’Fun Festival — Bradley will begin classes at Seattle Pacific University with two years and an associate’s degree already completed.

“I am really excited about that,” she said, explaining that graduating from South Kitsap High School this year as a Running Start sophomore means she will save a lot of money and time now that most of her general credits are already completed.

With the help of the $1,300 in scholarship money she earned at the Fathoms pageant, Bradley intends to seek a degree in math and eventually teach the subject, either to junior high or high school students.

“I am very logic-based and I like rules, so math works for me,” she said.

Bradley is joined on the Fathoms Court this year by princesses Megan McCormick and Arrielle Thuring.

McCormick, a 16-year-old junior at SKHS, won the award for evening wear/modeling, and is the daughter of Brenda McCormick and the late Frederick McCormick.

Thuring is 18 and a senior at SKHS. She is the daughter of Bradford and Marielle Thuring.

Kerri Rivers, a 17-year-old senior at SK Christian School & Explorer Academy, competed for a spot on the 2008 court and received awards for selling the most buttons, tickets, pins and raising the most money.

She is the daughter of Rob and Wanda Rivers.

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