The Orleans hosts Miss Black USA pageant

When Miss Black USA contestants converge on Las Vegas later this week, Nevada will be represented by Miss Black Nevada Candace M. House of Las Vegas.

The nonprofit Miss Black U.S.A. Pageant and Scholarship Foundation has selected House to represent the state in its national competition 8 p.m. Monday in the Orleans Showroom at the The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave.

Preliminary judging takes place 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in The Orlean's ballroom.

Tickets for the finals are $25-$100 while tickets to the preliminary judging competition are $20 per night. Tickets are available online at www.missblackusa.org/shoponline.htm.

On Sunday, Mountaintop Faith Ministries will host the Miss Black USA Breakfast and Worship Service.

House is using her title to help promote her longtime goal of educating young girls on life skills.

The pageant places strong emphasis on education and community service.

House graduated from Durango High school in 2001 before attending Feather River College in Quincy, Calif. She was captain of the college's women's basketball team, a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the All-State Academic Team and vice president of the Varsity Club. She graduated from the college with honors and transferred to Indiana State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.

House returned to Las Vegas and worked for certified public accounting firm L.L. Bradford, where she interned during her college years. She is currently director of finance for Mountaintop Faith Ministries.

In keeping with family tradition, House is committed to community service.

She is treasurer of the local (Eta Chi Sigma) chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and representative to the organization's national Pan-Hellenic Council; a member of the National Association of Black Accountants; she has volunteered in activities for Aid for Aids of Nevada, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk (Race for the Cure), Nevada Center for the Blind, Operation Christmas Child and Mountaintop Faith Ministries College Outreach.