Schaumburg’s Septemberfest Committee will change the decades-old Miss Septemberfest scholarship competition this year to a Septemberfest Court competition for both young men and women that will boast five equal winners.

This evolution of the program grew out of changes in both sponsorship and leadership of the program, as well as being driven by what was deemed the successful introduction of a male Septemberfest Ambassador last year, said Roxane Benvenuti, the village’s special events coordinator.

The longtime chair of the Miss Septemberfest Committee, Cara Mohr, who stepped down last year after more than 20 years, expressed surprise at the decision — as did the last Miss Septemberfest, Krislyn Cardoza, a student at Schaumburg High School.

Though they stated their support and wishes for the new program’s success, they felt something of the experience they both enjoyed would be lost.

Cardoza said many of the young girls who attended last year’s Septemberfest said they hoped they could compete someday.

“There is something special about being Miss Septemberfest,” said Mohr, a previous winner herself. “I do feel bad that there are going to be girls out there that won’t have the opportunity.”

Yet, two other past winners — Natalie Bryeans and Laura Jensen — have taken over the chairing duties for the program and are fully endorsing the changes.

Bryeans, who was Miss Septemberfest 2009, said, “Really the purpose behind the change in the program is that Laura and I felt that a lot of the emphasis on community involvement and character of the individuals that were being awarded the scholarships was being overlooked by a perception of Miss Septemberfest being more of a pageant than a scholarship program.

“In addition, we have opened it up to young men in the community as well,” she continued. “The reason for that is that every year it’s so refreshing to see how great these young people are and see how much they’re involved in, and we felt strongly that shouldn’t be limited to young women.”

So rather than five young women wearing dresses and waving from a float in the Septemberfest Parade on Labor Day, there will be five young men and women marching the parade route in their Septemberfest Court golf shirts.

Each will receive a $500 scholarship from the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America.

Even before the change in direction, the Rotary Club of Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates withdrew its sponsorship of the Miss Septemberfest crowning luncheon and float, deciding instead to dedicate more financial support to adult education, club President-elect Steve Lamp said.

Upon hearing about the changes at a Schaumburg meeting last week, Trustee George Dunham said it never made sense to him that girls were being made to walk around in long dresses and high heels amid the extensive grounds and often excessive heat of the Labor Day festival.

“I think this is progress,” he said.

But Cardoza said no thought of discomfort ever entered her mind during the last Septemberfest. “Me and the other court members were having so much fun, the weather didn’t matter,” she said.

The thought that she was the last in a long tradition and won’t be crowning a successor makes her experiences even more poignant, she said.

“Right now, it makes me cherish those memories more. If I was the last one, I’ll wear that title proudly.”