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The smile on the little girl’s face couldn’t be replaced, and she would remember this moment forever. She stood on the
sidewalk no taller than the folding chairs her family cheered in. Sunscreen smeared across her cheeks she tried to be amused with the passing parade entries and saltwater taffy. But she knew what she really wanted to see, and they were coming down the road. The beloved princesses would soon pass by waving.
With almost every town surrounding NS crowning new royalties recently, there comes new opportunities. The winners get the chance to complete a year of serving in their community in exchange for memories and often scholarships. The scholarship aspect of these competitions is something that benefits students for years to come, providing a financial boost in their schooling.
“A huge part of it is the service, because you’re being such a pig part of your community, and you’re able to give back in a way that you might not be able to without it,” Brecklyn Thompson, current Miss Fairview and NS junior said. “And scholarships are a great thing for that because it is more than just a beauty pageant, and it is so that you can further your education and get farther in life.”
Not only is service necessary with basic town traditions, but many programs include contestants choosing a platform or initiative that is meaningful for them to implement. These are goals that the chosen royalties can create activities for, either to spread awareness or to create change. Service initiatives can range from vulnerable subjects to topics more light-
hearted. Paeton Johnson, current Miss Fountain Green and NS senior, has the platform “Healthy Body, Healthy
Mind.”
“I can do two activities or more on that subject, so my plans are gonna be a Halloween fun run and 5k, so showing the younger kids how to have fun but exercise at the same time,” Johnson said.
In many cases pageantry can bring a newfound sense of confidence to young women. This confidence can come with the fun of getting dressed up and feeling beautiful, as well as through developing speaking skills and learning to talk to people.
“If someone gave me a microphone, I could sit there and talk,” Gracie Larson, Miss Moroni 2023 and NS junior said. “And like a
year ago, if I had to talk in front of a big crowd or something I would be totally against that. I feel like with Miss Moroni, there were plenty of times where the mayor would just be like ok and now our Miss Moroni’s gonna say a few words.”
A stigma often placed around pageantry is that it only revolves around physical appearance. However, local pageants often judge
physical appearance only through personal style and elegance, with that stage of competition being a small percentage of the total score. Throughout the years, pageants have become more about talent, interview, and who is best fit for the job.
“A lot of people say that it’s very negative, and only the prettiest people win, and all this, but really I don’t think that’s true at all,” Johnson said. “I think that even if you win or don’t win it’s a good thing and you learn a lot from it.”
For many girls, having the outlet to put in a helping hand is worth the process, and it can change who you become as well as shape your beliefs.
“Everyone needs to give a little so then our community can strive to be better,” Larson said. “If everyone just stuck to their own life and didn’t even talk to anyone or help anyone out then our society would be so sad.”
