Pageant Designed to Promote Lifelong Success Skills
Dacula resident Cindy Bradford directed the Miss Valentine Pageant this past weekend at Apalachee Trophy Club.
Videos
As fans of Toddlers and Tiaras know, people across the country travel great distances and spend large sums of money to enter their daughters, and even sons, in beauty pageants. Though the popular TLC reality show is more about behind-the-scenes drama, the reality is that beauty pageants do have a purpose according to Cindy Bradford, director of the Puttin’ on the Glitz pageant.
“We promote lifelong success skills for children such as poise, confidence, being able to perform in front of others and we’re here to help children from babies on up to young ladies develop their skills,” Bradford said.
Several contestants had the opportunity to hone those skills this past weekend at the Miss Valentine Pageant held at the Trophy Club of Apalachee in Dacula. Participants ranged in age from just a few months old to 15 years of age.
Joscelyn Mandall, age 4, was one of the contestants. Her mother Jennifer Mandall said Joscelyn has been doing beauty pageants since she was just six months old. Mandall said they took a break from pageants for a while, but have been doing a pageant or two every three months since Joscelyn was age two.
“We’re kind of dabbling in them. We’re not really hard core,” Mandall explained.
Mandall said she keeps doing the pageants because Joscelyn enjoys participating.
“She loves just getting up there,” Mandall said. “She loves doing them, she always has.”
During the Feb. 5 pageant, queens were crowned in each age division. Awards also included two Mini-Supreme titles (six and under and age seven and up) and a Grand Supreme title for the contestant with the highest overall score. Joscelyn took home a Mini Supreme title.
“The judges are looking for one, facial beauty," Bradford explained. "Number two, personality -- is the child having fun on the stage. They’re looking for just overall appeal."
The other Mini Supreme title went to Peyton Zimmer. The Grand Supreme winner was McKenzie Langford. Queens included Zoe Redden (age 0-12 months), Alyssa Butler (age 13-23 months), Shyanne Steeley (4-year-old queen), Kaiden Bartel (5-year-old queen) and Savannah Zaria (13-15 year-old queen).
Sunday’s pageant was just one of several that Bradford, a Dacula resident, and her daughter Savannah run throughout the year as part of the Puttin’ on the Glitz pageant system. The program consists of several pageants leading up to a national pageant.
Next month, Bradford will host an Easter and Spring Fling Beauty Pageant. The pageant is scheduled for March 18 and will also be held at the Trophy Club. Bradford hopes more people will try a pageant and find out what the program has to offer.
“We would invite everyone from Dacula and the surrounding area to come and join us,” Bradford said. “We’d like you to come and try our pageant and have a lot of fun."
Cynthia Montgomery
4:25 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
This clip just goes to show that pageant kids are just K I D S! This little girl sees herself on TV & is enjoying the instant recording of her funny faces. I am worried when I see a child on TV that doesn't behavior like this. That child is too inward or too afraid to be themselves out in public. That is not a issue with children that feel confident about being out in public. Worse it that some pageants are all about the money. Today most pageant are divided into state, local, charity, talent, or school fundraising pageants. We have a pageant in our town that takes in over $65,000 each year & gives an embarrassing piddly $2000 or mere 3% of the total for queens college scholarships! If it is truly about making the girls better then why not give the winning girls more scholarship $ for their future education. These wonderful girls give100's of hours to the community & the school keeps over 97% of the money! The money they receive is nearly gone by the time they pay for gas to get them to their many events. My daughter received a $1500 college scholarship as the first Miss Mill Creek & MCHS continues to give real money to their queens as they know it IS ABOUT THE GIRLS & the girl's futures! Scholarship money is shrinking & it is time to reward our young women for their wonderful community service to our great community. Surely we can do better than 3% when thousands are taken in through the door, ads, rose queens, concessions,& app. fees. Be Bold Parent, Speak Up For change!