For the person whose only exposure to beauty pageants is from what they see on television, it’s difficult to understand why anyone would choose to do a beauty pageant. After all, showcasing the benefits of doing a beauty pageant wouldn’t get the ratings that the drama does. But there are definite benefits or else pageantry wouldn’t be a multi-billion dollar industry.

Of the many benefits to participating in a pageant, I’m going to share my top five reasons.

1. Recognition.

People feel valued and appreciated when they receive recognition for their hard work. Some pageant systems offer cash prizes along with on-stage recognition for optional areas of participation such as talent, speech, commercials, modeling, community service, scholastic, letters of recommendation, career achievement and creative arts through scrapbooking, ad pages and decorating contests .

1. 2. Personal Development.

   The more a person recognizes and understands their strengths, values, likes, dislikes, beliefs, and personality style, the greater fulfillment and satisfaction they’ll experience from their life. The greatest self discovery and personal growth can come from working with an expert pageant coach who understands in depth how to use pageantry as a tool to develop the excellence within you.

2. 3. Communication Skills.

   The ability of articulate ones thoughts into written and spoken words is priceless. We live in an age where masses consider quality communicate as texting or posting an update on Face book. The skill of having a meaningful face to face conversation with another human being is being greatly diminished by technology. As an expert pageant coach and judge, I regularly encounter contestants with poor writing and verbal communication skills. This is very apparent in the paperwork that is submitted. By developing your communication skills, the relationships in your life will also develop in a life giving way.

3. 4. Confidence.

   The ability to face ones fears and take action anyway develops great confidence. It’s common knowledge that speaking in front of a crowd is the number one fear of people. Well, in pageantry there’s plenty of opportunity to get in front of large groups of people on a regular basis and develop a comfort level with being on stage. Through the interviewing process and introducing yourself to many people, your speaking skills will blossom in this arena.

4.  

5. 5. Handling Stress, Pressure and Disappointment.

   These reactions are a part of life. Your attitude and thoughts around these reactions can either move you forward towards fulfillment or break you down. Stress, pressure and disappointment don’t have to be viewed as negative things. In fact, they can be powerful motivators to accelerate you to the next level. It all depends on how you look at them. In pageantry, you will experience these to the fullest extent, and with guidance, you can learn how to flip them to work to your advantage.

Recognition, personal development, communication skills, confidence and handling the stress, pressure and disappointments in life are the benefits you’ll take with you from doing pageants. And if you really enjoy modeling, hair, makeup and fashion, oh the fun you will have learning these life lessons.

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Take a moment to list the benefits you receive from each of the activities you participate in. If you struggle to come up with benefits, decide if that is an activity you want to be spending your time doing.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach and an iPEC trained personal development life coach. She created Winning Through Pageantry™, to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation and achieve winning results in life through pageantry. In the pageant world she has held multiple local, state and national titles. Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website . For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

As a pageant coach, I’m frequently asked about what pageant systems are available to babies and young children. Since I was a judge at the Ohio Sunburst State Finals this past Saturday, I wanted to share this system with all of you.

 
Sunburst is now celebrating its 32 year and has been featured on the Travel Channel and Discovery Channel. The Sunburst system has launched the movie, TV and print work careers of many of its titleholders. The main focus of the pageant is on facial beauty. The judges and agents prefer a wholesome, age appropriate look on the younger contestants so please, no makeup on children 6 years of age and younger. This is taken right out of the state information guide.

 
For the beauty title, there are two areas of scoring-Interview (up close appraisal) and formal wear.
The interview is really an Up Close Appraisal; each contestant is in front of the judges for the same amount of time and will receive a facial beauty score only.

To help the contestants feel more comfortable, the judges may ask one question to help break the ice; but the answer is not scored nor is it a hard question. Typical interview questions would be like how old are you? What do you like to do? What pets do you have? What’s your favorite toy? What’s your favorite TV show? What school do you go to? What activities are you involved in?

Children 1 mos. - 4 years old must be accompanied by one adult. The attire for this event is an official Sunburst T-Shirt (which you receive at check-in) with your own white, denim or khaki shorts, skirts or pants, and shoes of any type.

 
Having judged this pageant for the past 8 years, I can’t stress this enough, please don’t put fake hair, flippers and makeup on your babies and young children here.

It is true that you will see both glitz and natural pageant contestants at the Sunburst pageant. However, the pageant system really wants the natural beauty of its children under the age of 6 to shine. Will you see some younger children wearing these things? Yes, but if something is really inappropriate or over the top, a judging panel will take this into consideration when giving a score.

 
Remember, they are looking for a wholesome, age appropriate look. That goes for all of the age groups.  With the main criteria being facial beauty, a beautiful face can be spotted with or without makeup. You want everything to be tasteful.

 
The second scored area is Formal Wear. Attire for 1 mos.- 10 year old girls can be short or long party or pageant dresses. Adding my personal opinion here, the most flattering length for short dresses on young girls is a couple inches above the knee so the whole knee cap is exposed. A long dress should touch the floor. Fit is everything. The dress can’t be too tight, too big, too long or too short. Since children grow, have it tailored about 10 days before the pageant. That means finding a good seamstress before the pageant and having her reserve that time for you.

For girls ages 11-27, the formal wear attire is long gowns that are age appropriate. All boys are to wear a suit or tux.

For babies 1 month -4 years, each child will go to the center stage with one adult where they will receive their score. Girls 5-27 years are judged from the center stage. Do all your modeling in the center only.

There are no extra points given if little 9 month old Sally holds your finger and takes 30 seconds to step, step her way to center stage. Then when she gets to center stage, she’s so tired that she wants to sit down. When you try to make her stand and face the judges, she throws a fit because it took all her energy to walk there. Do yourself a huge favor, carry your young child to the center and then let her stand IF she is able. You want her best behavior to be at center stage because that is where the judges are told to award the score. A tantrum does not score high.

 
There are many side awards for prettiest eyes, hair, smile, personality, and attire; along with optional model search, daycare/school wear, swimwear, photogenic, talent, portfolio, composite and mail-in photo contests for the contestants to participate in as well.

 
State Pageant Age Groups
Age is determined by age the contestant is on the 1st day of the State Pageant:

Girls

• 0-15 mos.

• 6-23 mos.

• 2 yrs.

• 3 & 4 yrs.

• 5-6 yrs.

• 7-10 yrs.

• 11-13 yrs.

• 14-17 yrs.

• 18-27 yrs. ( contestants may be married or single)

Boys

• 0-23 mos.

• 2-4 yrs.

For questions about the preliminary and state pageants in your area, go to the national website at http://www.sunburstbeauty.com/

Have every weekly article I write delivered directly to your email. Sign up for my free weekly newsletter. Just click the GET YOUR FREE REPORT button at the top of this page. Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach and an iPEC trained personal development life coach. She created Winning Through Pageantry™, to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation and achieve winning results in life through pageantry. In the pageant world she has held multiple local, state and national titles. Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website . For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.