Chula Vista residents waited on baited breath Wednesday night to find out if a local teenager would become the next American Idol.
Jessica Sanchez has a ton of fans all over, but even more so in the San Diego community.
East Lake residents have gathered together in San Diego to await the news of the Idol contestant.
But, whether Sanchez landed the title tonight as the country's next American Idol or not, she's already a star to a community quick to claim her from the start.
And Lisa Johnson with the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce says 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez has helped put this South Bay city, on the map.
"I think we all feel a little bit apart of it because she's from Chula Vista,” she said. "I was personally really excited I kinda held my breath a little when Ryan Seacrest put his arm around Jessica a few weeks ago…this is Jessica Sanchez from…and I thought oh is he gonna say San Diego.”
But much to the content of Chula Vistans, show host Seacrest said, “We're kicking things off with the pride Chula Vista California. Please welcome back to the stage, Jessica Sanchez."
I think it's great I like how Chula Vista is getting all this attention,” said Johnson. "We brought you back the world championship.
Attention some say began back in 2009, when Chula Vista's own Park View little league won the Little League World Series. From appearances on late night television to a visit with President Obama at the White House, they too, had the community posting signs in their windows.
"If you've got the young people that are working hard to perfect their craft that reflects well on the community,” Johnson said. "No matter how much we do locally nothing can replace this kind of publicity for us on a national and really international level…I would say people do know about San Diego, but Chula Vista not very much. It's just a little a little part of San Diego and it’s here. But people definitely know about Chula Vista now.”
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