Defying Most Views - THE D/M/V - 10 to 1

Wow!!!!!  The Mid-Atlantic Region - recently nicknamed the DMV (District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia) was on FIRE this past weekend.  Not only did the beautiful and intelligent Kamie Crawford win the Miss Teen USA 2010 title on Saturday evening, but the DMV's contestants in the Miss International Pageant showed up and showed out as well.  All THREE ladies were selected to the top 10 from their personal interviews and preliminary competition on Thursday evening.  As top 10 contestants, they competed in finals night on Saturday. 

Chelsey Rodgers, Miss District of Columbia International 2010 (left) is an attorney with a solo-practice in Washington, DC.   An alumna of Spelman College and Howard University Law School she spoke on-stage during Saturday's final competition about her platform "Building Healthy Self-Esteem" and her organization the Miss Congeniality Foundation.   Chelsey is also a form Miss District of Columbia USA  !!! 

Tamika Mills, Miss Virginia International 2010 (center) not only made top 10 in this year's competition, she placed as the 1st Runner Up to Miss international 2010  is registered dental hygienist who spoke about the near fatal car crash the organization that sparked her platform work - Operation Smile!  An alumna of Old Dominion University and Delta Zeta sister, this beauty queen spent many years competing in the Miss Virginia America Organization.  

Heather Young, Miss Maryland International 2010 (right) promoted her platform of "Let's Bring Them Home" - her passion for helping missing and exploited persons.  This current University of Baltimore student carries a 3.8 GPA and is the Vice President of her university's Undergraduate Student Senate.

 

Miss Teen USA

Congratulations to the new Miss Teen USA - Kamie Crawford (MD). An absolutely STUNNING 17 year old from Potomac, Maryland.

Mrs. United States

Congratulations to the new Mrs. United States 2010, Rachel Juillerat. Rachel, a teacher who represented Mississippi in the contest, was also this year’s Physical Fitness award winner.  This former Mrs. Alabama competed in the 2008 Mrs. United States pageant where she also won the swimsuit competition.   The woman has a FIERCE body.

 Mrs. Alabama United States 2010, Jennifer Beaver & Mrs. Mississippi/Mrs. United States 2010 Rachel Juillerat

Competing in the traditionally successful white evening gown, she succeeds Tammy Johns-Brown of South Carolina.  Maybe there is something to that white gown in this system after all.  Six of the last 10 Mrs. United States winners all competed in white gowns.  Don’t say you haven’t been warned!

Other pageant winners were:

Congeniality - Mrs. Idaho - Sondra Lavoie

Photogenic - Mrs. Kentucky - Dr. Tammi Wyatt Halvorson (Ms. All-American 2010)

1st Runner Up - Mrs. Minnesota - Wendi Russo (Mrs. Minnesota America 2008)

2nd Runner Up - Mrs. Tennessee - Stephanie Lynch

3rd Runner Up - Mrs. North Dakota - Sarah Bazey

4th Runner Up - Mrs. Georgia - Lisa Muzi

Quadruple Crowned

Will Smith is Mr. July and Adrienne Watson Carver is Mrs. Maryland!!!!     Within the past five years, Adrienne has been crowned Mrs. Maryland in four major pageant systems, quite an accomplishment!!!!! Also a force to be reckoned with on the national stage - she was voted Mrs. Congeniality at the 2006 Mrs. United States pageant by the other delegates as well as placing top 10 in the 2007 Mrs. America and 2009 Mrs. International pageants.  With her latest title - Mrs. Maryland Galaxy, I am sure we will be hearing more news about her at the 2012 Mrs. Galaxy International pageant!!!

 Adrienne Watson Carver, Mrs. Maryland Galaxy International 2011

 Adrienne being crowned,  after winning the Mrs. Maryland United States 2006, 

by Mrs. Maryland United States 2005

A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and owner of Studio A - Modeling, Etiquette and Dance Academy in Randallstown, Maryland, she is always in the community making a difference in the lives of young people.  Pageantry is truly a tool that can assist ANYONE in serving others, providing mentorship and encouragement as well as simply having a GREAT time.  Congratulations Adrienne, continue to be an example of how to do it!!!!

FAVE PHOTOS

This is one of Pageants & Pearls favorite photos of the pageant season.  Not a picture of a winner, per se or a competition, but one of something we;d NEVER thought we would see.   An African-American Miss America shaking hands with an African-American President of the United States.  Take it or leave it - love it or hate it, in 2010, it is the way it is.

Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron shakes hands with President Barack Obama at the White House in June while traveling with the Children's Miracle Network Champions in Washington, D.C.

World.....Universe....GALAXY!!

Congratulations to Yolanda Makle.....Ms. Galaxy 2011!!!!

 (Yolanda Makle, 2011 Ms. Galaxy Photogenic Winner)

(2011 Galaxy Pageants Queens.  Clockwise from top right - Teen, Ms, Mrs, Miss)

No stranger to pageantry, Yolanda is an amazing competitor who has won or placed runner up in several national pageants. 

  (4th runner up to Miss Galaxy 2005)

 

 (Ms. Belleza Latina 2009)

More than just a pretty face, this engineer &; businesswoman is a proud alum of the University of North Carolina and President of Yolanda Makle Photography!!!  Perhaps you're now thinking, "I've seen her somewhere before.  No, not at an appearance".  Well you're absolutely right.  In the summer of 2009, Yolanda beat a bevy of contestants, ultimately two other finalists, for the job of the Washington Nationals In-Game Co-Host!!!

Despite all her titles and placements, Yolanda's most notable contribution to the industry was the founding of the Ethnic World Pageant System in 2005.  Her vision for establishing the pageant was "to give ALL women of color the opportunity to help educate the world on cultural diversity".   With all that Yolanda has done through her time in pageantry and considering her very first Ethnic World teen queen has gone on to become Miss America her vision was dead on and has moved beyond women of color.

Continued success Yolanda as you move forward in showing the world what ANY woman can do a little tenacity, faith, preparation, hard work and motivation.