Pageants, for the most part, are not: a waste of time, stupid, a bunch of airheads wishing for "world peace" and believing that the world is made of rainbows and teddy bears.
Now, please keep in mind that I am talking about a specific pageant system, which is the America system. This system produces the Miss America Scholarship pageant and the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant. I also have no problem with the Miss USA system, however, I have had no experience with this system and could not speak intelligently on it. I am not referring to children's pageants in this post.....that is a entirely different can of worms. ;)
Let's start from the beginning....and let me prepare you, this is going to be a long post. I began competing in Miss South Carolina preliminaries in 2001 upon graduating high school. I did not grow up competing in pageants and had been in three high school pageants previous to this. It took me 7 tries to win my first local title, which was Miss Pickens/Dacusville (I saw the jealously in your eyes when you read that title!). Now here was the "slap in the face" for me.....I was not a girl used to loosing. As a competitive dancer for 13 years, national championships were something we won every year. (and, I say that not to brag, but for you to see things through my eyes) To enter my first preliminary and not win was a heart breaker for me. Not only did I not win, I did not even place!! GASP!!
Why do I share that with you? I share that to illustrate what intelligent, inspiring, and amazing ladies I was competing against. I had to step up my A game and step it up fast. See, that's the problem with how people perceive pageants. They look at them the same way I did.....in my mind, I was going to be in a pageant with girls who couldn't even spell their last name, let alone have talent, and walk away with the title. Well, I've already told you the ending to that story..........
I can remember winning Pickens/Dacusville and calling one of my dear friends, who was involved with the Miss SC organization at the time, the next day. Upon hearing that I won, he said, "Kim, congratulations, you are now a member of one of the most prestigious sororities there is." That always stuck with me for some reason and I soon realized how true that statement is. Of course I competed in Miss SC that summer and well, again, we all know how that story ended. ;) However, I remember crying when my parents came to get me backstage after the pageant and not because I did not win. I had just spent every waking minute with a group of 50 girls that week and I made some great friends, some who are my closest friends today. I was crying because I did not want to leave that.
The next year I competed in and won the first preliminary I entered, Miss Berea. If you are from this area, you KNOW this is one of the most prestigious titles. (I kid, I kid) During that year, I had the most amazing prep team a girl could dream of and they are still close friends of mine to this day, in fact, they are like family. Now, that my friends, is what this system is about.
So, my dreams of becoming Miss SC ended the year after I competed as Miss Berea. But, my pageant involvement has not ended there. In 2009 I came back into the Miss America organization, this time as a volunteer. I am board member for a local preliminary here in South Carolina. This experience has been an amazing journey. I have reconnected with wonderful friends, been introduced to new friends and watched girls grow and learn from their involvement.
For those of you reading, who still do not understand, let me share these little tidbits with you:
- This organization gives you the opportunity to share your personal story with others through a platform. (mine being the American Heart Association) I spoke to schools, churches, clubs, etc. This is something I would have never have been able to do had I not participated in pageants
- It gave me an outlet to showcase my talent
- It teaches the poise and confidence that I believe every woman should have!!
- I had the ability to walk into a room with 5 judges, whom some I had never met before, and carry on an interview concerning politics, current events, my platform, etc. You better believe this gave me interview skills that I used later in life.
- The Miss America Organization is the largest provider of scholarships for women.......if that doesn't say something, then I have no hope left for you.
- Community service is at the heart of the Miss America Organization and these women volunteer thousands of hours each year to their respective communities
- Many women who compete in this system and many former Miss Americas go on to attend prestigious schools. Some have gone to become attorneys, doctors, actresses on Broadway....the lists goes on and on. Now, it may be me, but girls who aren't that intelligent do not become those things.
- It's a sisterhood.......many girls who compete with each other keep in touch forever. And, I have to say that I don't mind being a part of this sisterhood.....it's kind of an exclusive one. :)
- The friends I have made competing are probably the base of my involvement with this organization. I am not talking about the girls I competed with here, although some are included, I am talking about the other volunteers, LEDs, mothers, fathers, contestants, etc. I am talking about my somewhat warped "Pageant Family" (we are kind of warped....admit it)
- Did you know that you are more likely to have a son play for the NFL than to have a daughter compete for the title of Miss America???
- Lastly (of course I could go on and on and on and on), I believe that competition is healthy. There is nothing wrong with a little friendly competition!!
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