Well it is that time of year again and our local city and community pageants are gearing up to find next year’s ambassadors to represent their communities. In my time here, I have found that these pageants do so much for our young women than the opportunity to wear a tiara or hold a title. These titles come with a lot of responsibility, a chance for learning, and for the younger pageant titleholders, a wonderful chance to learn from some great mentors.
Well it is that time of year again and our local city and community pageants are gearing up to find next year’s ambassadors to represent their communities. In my time here, I have found that these pageants do so much for our young women than the opportunity to wear a tiara or hold a title. These titles come with a lot of responsibility, a chance for learning, and for the younger pageant titleholders, a wonderful chance to learn from some great mentors.
With all of the news out there that is discrediting pageants at higher levels, don’t be fooled that our community pageants work that way. They don’t even come close. It takes a lot to earn a title at the community level. Good grades, a lot of community service, communication skills is just a few requirements just to get on stage. And once they earn that title, the responsibilities in representing their community is a year filled with hard work. I see this at just about every event that I go to because they are there also. I have been blown away at the amount of work that pageant holders do during the course of the year and the support of their parents and community in helping them to become strong, confident and caring members of the community.
I’ve seen quite a few growing up from pre-teen to Miss and the transformation is quite remarkable. The drive that I see in these young ladies is amazing. I’m always telling people that they work their tiaras off all year long and that is so true. The amount of hours that these pageant holders put in is in the hundreds each year and the events that they serve in their community would not be the same without their support.
Being a part, or allowing your children to be a part of your local pageant is as good as allowing them to be Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Club, Rangers or the other many great organizations that help empower young girls into strong young women. If I would have known what an impact that being a community ambassador had on young women, I would have gladly allowed my daughter to participate. But I came into covering these pageants with a biased sexist opinion from the years of my mother making us watch Miss America and Miss Universe and all the other large beauty pageants. Although all of our ambassadors are beautiful, it is the beauty inside their minds and hearts that counts in being able to represent our local communities.
If you have young girls that are interested in being part of your local pageant, think twice, maybe thrice, before saying no. If you are not familiar with your local pageant organization, take the time to get to know them before saying no. You will not regret it. There is not a single community pageant in East County from our cities, communities and rodeo that are not a great venue for your children to thrive in, learn and be surrounded by great mentors that will make them a better person in the community and in life. Some of the larger pageant organizations have started taking in young men as ambassadors. I believe that this can be just as positive of an experience for our young men that it is for our young women.
If you are looking for an organization that can give your child all of these things, think about your own local pageant. Not only does it do so much more than I have already talked about, but it is right in your own community that they will be involved in. I believe strongly in community service and these pageants are a phenomenal venue to teach them the importance of that in life no matter where they go in the future.
