Miss Zona Rosa Scholarship Organization gives girls opportunities to see positives of pageantry
For those that think Miss Zona Rosa’s mentor program might be a “Toddlers and Tiaras” affair, leave that notion at the door, said Miss Zona Rosa Director Corky Reineke.
“Not all pageants have to be like that,” Reineke said. “Hopefully they’ll see we’re not encouraging younger girls to get into the make-up and the glitz. If they have a pageant dress, they can wear that. If they don’t, then a Sunday dress is just fine. With the older girls, they will see all types of things as far as the dresses go... It’s not the clothing you wear, it’s the person you are.”
The Miss Zona Rosa Scholarship Organization is giving the opportunity to girls ages 5 to 12-years-old to meet the 2013 and potential 2014 Miss Zona Rosa and Miss Zona Rosa Outstanding Teen Aug. 10. The goal for Miss Zona Rosa’s mentor program is to show girls the positive side of pageantry while helping them identify future goals, increase self-esteem and ultimately educate them about opportunities with the scholarship program — yes, the pageants are a way to earn scholarship money for college. As part of being Miss Zona Rosa 2013, Madison Chambers received $500 in scholarship funding earlier this year.
Girls participating in the mentor program will have lunch with Chambers and Miss Zona Rosa Outstanding Teen 2013 Debrielle Merrill as well as the 2014 contestants. Following the luncheon, all participants will go to the pageant stage for coaching and private instruction, including a question and answer session with Chambers and Merrill as well as the Miss Zona Rosa Outstanding Teen directors. At the end of the event, each girl will receive a crown from their sister contestant and be eligible to compete in the 2014 Misses of Missouri Pageant. No judging will take place of the mentor program participants.
“Basically, they’re like little sisters, and we’re asking the girls to spend time with the contestants,” Reineke said, “Talking with them about what their goals are, what they want to do in the future and encouraging them to do Outstanding Teen or the Miss pageant when they’re older.”