So how do we fix it?

Well the past few days have delivered a terrible blow to the pageant industry.  Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you have heard about the truly sad situation involving the Sacramento 8-year old, whose mother was giving the beautiful little girl Botox injections as well as waxing her legs.  According to reports, she's since been removed from the home.   Of course this has started a flurry or comments, blog posts, tweets and Facebook statuses about the dangers and pressures of children in pageantry.  Of course in all of this outrage, no one is looking to find out about and promote the responsible individuals, companies or systems in children's pageantry.  I mean who wants to hear about a bunch of do-gooders!

This argument is decades old and is never ending. For every horrible thing or experience you hear about in pageantry, there are reputable, fun and great pageant systems like National American Miss, American Co-ed Pageants, Pageants R Fun, International Junior Miss and Beary Special/Dixieland Dolls and Darlings. 

 

Equating every children's pageant or pageant mom with crazy Botox lady or "Toddlers & Tiaras" is just like saying everyone who goes into boxing will end up with Parkinson's disease or every football parent is Cam Newton's dad - it just doesn't make any sense and it's a reach.

If you love pageantry the way I do, you are realizing that recent activity has really brought a negative light to something that has provided a valuable outlet, numerous scholarship opportunities and plenty of self-esteem building activities to young girls and women the world over.  My question now is how do we fix it?  How do we turn this positive into a negative, how do we remind girls, moms and dads that pageantry offers the highest payout of scholarship dollars to help women attend college annually!  

How do we remind the world that collectively "pageant girls" probably spend the same amount, if not more, hours on community service each year as the Junior League!

How dear pageant friends, how????

Changing of the Guard

Congratulations to the new Miss High School America 2011 - Summer Priester from Vermont!!!!

Summer has also held the title of Teen Miss Royal US 2010.  
 

As Miss High School America 2011, she won a $10,000 scholarship prize!   Go Summer!!!

The Miss America Organization...

According it's web site, the Miss America organization is "one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women." The Miss America crown(MAO), is by far, one of the most coveted crowns in pageantry.
As a former Executive Director of a MAO local pageant, I can attest to the fact that each participant from the local level upward has the opportunity to receive some sort of scholarship dollars through out the year. It is such an exciting way to earn money for school or to repay student loans!!! Many local pageants are as intricate as state pageants and require months of preparation and plenty of time to devote to your particular charity or cause.

This past Thursday, the public pageant event schedule kicked off with an arrival ceremony at Planet Hollywood. Tonight is the first night of Preliminaries. If you happen to be in Vegas and are interested in attending. Below are the details, enjoy!!!
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Planet Hollywood – Theater for the Performing Arts
Price: $75 plus Ticketmaster fees – Visit Ticketmaster.com

In the days leading up to the pageant, I am always on the edge of my seat waiting to see what talent, follies and tears finals night will bring. Only four days left until the winner is announced. I sure hope Maryland has a good showing, go Brooke!!!!