TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Miss Heart Pageant Beats For More Entries

ADVERTISEMENT

By GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: December 10, 2008

PLANT CITY - Calling all contestants.

The deadline for applications for the 2009 Miss Heart of Plant City Pageant has been extended to Monday, with pageant officials keeping their fingers crossed for a good response. This is the third deadline extension because of a lack of contestants.

The competition, to be held Jan. 31, is a preliminary scholarship pageant for the annual Miss Florida and Miss America Scholarship pageants.

Contestants may live in any ZIP code but must be 17 to 24 years old and at least be a senior in high school.

"We need at least five contestants to qualify under the Miss America rules," said Regan Whitehurst, a member of the Miss Heart of Plant City board of directors. "Our pageant allows competitors the opportunity to further their education through scholarship awards. And our affiliation with the Miss Florida and Miss America pageants gives the winner a chance of a lifetime."

The Miss Heart of Plant City Pageant was founded by Brenda White, who was the executive director of the event for five years, said Roxanne Fulwood, who has been the director since the 2006 pageant.

"The initial pageant in 2002 was held at the HCC Hillsborough Community College auditorium in Plant City with five contestants," Whitehurst said. "That year, Rebekah Green took the title and went on to compete at the Miss Florida Pageant."

Other title holders include Sheena Rathell, 2003; Jennifer St. Martin, 2004; Holly Stein, 2005; Caycee Hampton, 2006; Megan Shelley, 2007; and Amanda Holland, 2008.

The location for the 2009 event has not yet been determined.

Gaining corporate and individual sponsorships has always been a challenge for the pageant, officials said. Now it seems that the recent economic downturn may be discouraging the number of applicants.

"We need some girls to step up and make this a contest," Whitehurst said.

Each year contestants are awarded a minimum of $500 in scholarship money. The winner is awarded a crown and a trip to the Miss Florida pageant, recently held in St. Petersburg, where more scholarship money is at stake. The winner there has the opportunity to win the title of Miss America.

Judges look for certain characteristics that would make a good leader and representative in the Plant City community, Fulwood said.

Scoring includes interview, 25 percent; talent, 35 percent; evening gown, 20 percent; swimsuit, 15 percent; and on-stage question, 5 percent.

"Each contestant has a specific platform that they choose to be an advocate for in the community," Fulwood said. "Whether that platform should be 'Mentoring Today's Youth' or 'Breast Cancer Awareness' or 'Mothers Against Drunk Driving,' it is a personal choice that each contestant has to make and is passionate about. Once a winner is selected, she uses her title as Miss Heart of Plant City as a 'megaphone' to promote her cause in the community and around Florida."

Each contestant also gets to choose a talent she would like to perform at the event, such as playing a musical instrument, dancing, singing or performing a monologue.

"The Miss Heart of Plant City Scholarship Pageant is not just a beauty pageant," Whitehurst said. "This is much more. It's an opportunity for young ladies to develop their skills and talents and to learn to speak up for a cause that is greater than the individual. The judges find the one young lady who truly represents the heart of Plant City."

In order to compete in this year's event, prospective contestants need to pick up their application at Merle Norman Cosmetics in Plant City, 1514 S Alexander St., Suite 102, and return it by 7 p.m. Monday.

For information, call (813) 478-8873 or go to www.miss heartofplantcity.com.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT