MOSES LAKE - Karol Scott-Tracy, the 2006 Moses Lake High School graduate, has made it to the final four in a nationwide search for Nuestra Belleza Latina (Our Latin Beauty).

The final appearance for contestants and announcement of the winner will occur on Sunday. The announcement will be made during a show that airs on the Univisión Television Network at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

NBL is a project of Univisión. The winner will take home $250,000 and a 1-year news reporting contract with Univisión. Scott-Tracy has already racked up $10,000, according to her mother Emilia Scott.

The American Idol-like selection process started at numerous auditions across the country in January. Scott-Tracy, who lives in New Jersey and is studying international business in New York, entered at New York City.

The audition attracted more than 100 young women. Scott-Tracy was one of two selected to go on to the big show in Miami, Fla.

Particularly intriguing to the judges was Scott-Tracy's history in the U.S. Army, including a one-year deployment to Iraq, where she saw front line combat.

Scott-Tracy, born in Venezuela and a Moses Lake resident from the age of 11, was a 5-6, 140-pound soldier in Iraq. She is now a sleek 5-6, 125-pound beauty competing for Our Latin Beauty.

Scott-Tracy nearly missed out on the final four. She was in danger of elimination as the contestants were pared to five on Sunday, May 13. She scraped by on the vote of the public.

Then it was up to the show's three judges to eliminate one more contestant. They listened to each one answer a question designed just for her.

The others stammered and stuttered and bought time to think. Scott-Tracy, speaking of what the U.S. Army had done for her, was precise, thoughtful and quick.

Each judge chose one contestant to move on to the finals. Then all three chose the fourth.

Scott-Tracy was third to be chosen. The same judge who said she was "the best of them all" on opening night tabbed her.

With tears in her eyes, Scott-Tracy said: "I never thought I'd get this far."

Blowing a kiss through the television to her mother Emilia Scott in New Jersey, she added: "This is for you mom. Happy Mother's Day."