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Pageant Introduction
From Kim Greenwood / Executive Coordinator
Hello,
and welcome to our website! I was Miss
Tennessee USA 1989 and can tell you
first hand that being a part of this
pageant can be a life changing experience. I
had the great honor of traveling throughout
the state, meeting wonderful people
statewide, and representing Tennessee
at the Miss USA pageant as well as
internationally entertaining the U.S.
troops abroad on USO Tours to seven
countries. Looking back, I realize
that my year as Miss Tennessee USA
will always be one of the most dynamic
and positive experiences in my life. However,
I also realize that even if I had never
won the actual title, I would still
be a stronger, more confident, self-assured,
and goal oriented person simply as
a result of my participation in the
pageant. I truly believe in the
personal growth and individual development
that is cultivated by one's participation
in this organization.
When
the Miss Universe Organization contacted
me in 1992 about assuming the directorship
in the state of Tennessee, my husband
and I prayed about the opportunity and
ultimately felt that it would be a wonderful
way for us to give back to a state that
had been very good to us. I later accepted
the directorship in the state of Georgia
as well. I knew first hand that it was
a great program
for
young women and I have committed my work
to encouraging excellence in young women
for over 16 years now. Similarly,
the Miss Universe Organization asked
me to assume the directorship of the
Miss Mississippi USA Program and I felt
it was a wonderful opportunity to encourage
more young women to push themselves to
be their personal best! I am very excited
to be a part of this program in Mississippi!
My
focus from the beginning has been for
this program to provide a fair environment
in which young women have the opportunity
to better themselves. I hope the pageant
encourages the contestants to gain self-awareness,
self-confidence, individual pride, and
greater social awareness. I hope each
contestant improves their ability to
communicate effectively, to speak in
front of people, and to stand up for
what they believe in. I encourage our
contestants to find issues they feel
strongly about, and to become involved
in organizations and causes that speak
to their hearts. Each young lady
who has entered this program has had
different goals and our staff strives
hard to assist each person in their personal
quest for excellence.
I
am pleased that a large number of contestants
each year have never been in a pageant
and they find it to be a rewarding and
worthwhile experience. Many contestants
have won their first time out, and many
others return because of the positive
experience they had in our program. I
like to think that each young woman walks
away from our program a little more ready
to deal with the world around her, and
more importantly, the world ahead of
her.
My
philosophy for the Miss Mississippi
USA program is not about encouraging
young
women
to "win" a pageant, but to
encourage young women to develop life
skills that will ultimately help them
win in life by being their personal best
in everything they do.
Pageant
Weekend:
Let me tell you a little about the pageant weekend...the
pageant is scheduled for November 4-6, in Tunica, Mississippi.
On a Thursday morning our Teen and Miss delegates check-in
to
spend the
morning
and
afternoon
in rehearsals with our
choreographer at the Theater. That evening, the city of Tunica
will host you for a reception to meet and greet many of the
city's business leaders. Following the
reception, the Mayor of Tunica will host a "welcome
dinner" for all of our contestants during which you
will also have the opportunity to listen to a motivational
speaker who will once again drive home the message of becoming
your personal best. Friday is spent in rehearsals which leads
to the Preliminary Competition in which each contestant will
compete in Swimsuit and Evening Gown. Your gown selection
is up to you and your own personal choices. Saturday morning
is spent in personal interviews with the judges and the Final
Show is that Saturday night in which the new Miss Mississippi
USA and Miss Mississippi Teen USA will be crowned. The winner
of the Miss Mississippi USA Pageant will advance to the nationally
televised MISS USA Pageant, and the winner of the Miss Mississippi
Teen USA Pageant will advance to the MISS TEEN USA Pageant.
Should Miss Mississippi USA go on to win MISS USA, she would
then advance to the ultimate contest... the internationally
televised MISS UNIVERSE Pageant.
Pageant
Competition:
Each Contestant will compete in three equal phases of preliminary
competition: swimsuit, evening gown, and interview. The scores
from the preliminary phases of competition are added up,
and the contestants with the highest composite scores become
semifinalists. The number of semifinalists will be between
10 and 15, and will be determined by the total number of
contestants in the competition. Scoring is based on the following:
• Swimsuit: each
contestant is evaluated on her physical
fitness, stage-presence, and overall
impression.
• Evening
Gown: each contestant
is evaluated on grace, poise, style,
stage presence, the confidence
with which she carries herself,
and overall-impression.
• Interview: preliminary
interviews are personal one-on-one
style. You will have four minute
interviews with each of the five
judges. Its very comfortable and
conversational. Contestants are scored
on their communication skills, and
personality. They are NOT scored
on their opinions or personal beliefs.
Once
the semifinalists are announced during
the final show, they will again compete
in swimsuit and evening gown. These two
phases of competition will narrow the
field to a group of five finalists.
The
top-5 will then each have an on-stage
interview. The interview will be conducted
by the emcee. He will ask them several
questions about their bio, or topics
related to their bio. The interview will
end with one randomly selected question
unrelated to their bio, and submitted
prior to the show by the panel of judges.
After the top-5 interviews, the judges
will select a winner, 1st runner-up,
2nd runner-up, 3rd runner-up, and 4th
runner-up in each age group.
Pageant
Wardrobe:
Each contestant will need rehearsal clothing (sweats, sweatshirts,
tennis shoes, etc.), and a pair of jeans for the first day's
activities. They will also need a nice dress or suit for
the welcome dinner. The required competition and stage wardrobe
is as follows:
• Opening
Production Number:
Miss
Contestants:
Pants:
Fitted WHITE pants (not capris).
No beading. Be cautious with
under garments – white
can be “see-thru”
Top: WHITE,
BLACK or Black & White bikini
top
Jacket: Any
WHITE top/jacket of your choice – any
trendy style. Short sleeve or
long sleeve. Leave open to see
the bikini top. Keep it fun and
hip – NOT pageant!
ACCENT
for outfit: (in BLACK)
Could be a pocket, the collar
of the top/jacket, trim on
the pants (like black stripe
down the side of the white
pants, a black belt, or
oversized black necklace. Be creative and stylish!
Shoes: 4
inch maximum height (3 inch best
for dancing/movement) silver
strappy heels. Keep it simple
(no acrylics, nude or gold shoes).
No platforms.
Jewelry
• Silver hoop earrings
• Belt for pants (if appropriate)
Teen
Contestants:
Pants: Fitted,
Dark Blue Jeans
Top:
Any shade (light to bright) of
YELLOW of your choice. Any style.
Must be age-appropriate
and trendy. Short sleeve or long
sleeve. Keep it fun and hip – NOT
pageant!
Shoes
(Espadrilles): Approx
- 3 inch maximum height light
tan, nude or taupe Espadrille.
Be careful with the styles
that have multiple “straps” around
the ankle. Keep it as simple
as possible.
Jewelry/Accessories: Silver
hoop earrings. Belt if needed
for jeans (no cowboy) - Keep
it Simple.
• Private
Interview: You should
choose an outfit that you find
appropriate for a job interview,
and that reflects your personality.
The outfit should make you feel
comfortable and confident. Some
examples include: slacks and a
sweater set, pants and a blouse,
a skirt with a coordinating top,
etc. The outfit can range from
casual to business oriented. The
most important thing is to wear
something that you would normally
wear. Do not choose an outfit that
is too flashy, as it might be distracting.
Do not choose cocktail attire.
There should be no beads, sequins,
etc. Select shoes and pantyhose
(if worn) that compliment your
outfit. Earrings, broaches, bracelets,
etc., are appropriate when not
overdone. Accessories should be
used to only
enhance your outfit. NOTE: On-stage
interviews will be conducted for
the top-5 finalists. All on-stage
interviews will be conducted in
your competition gown. No additional
outfit is needed for on-stage interviews.
• Swimsuit:
Miss
Contestants:
Two-piece
bikini or one piece swimsuit: String
bikinis ARE ACCEPTABLE. Swimsuit
color should be RED – solid
color only. No trim color.
No metallic, sequin or, velvet
materials/fabrics. Metal type
fasteners are acceptable (no
rhinestones)
Shoes
for all swimsuits: 4
inch maximum height silver
strappy heels (keep it simple).
No acrylics, nude or gold shoes
and no platforms.
Jewelry: Silver
hoop earrings. Bracelets are
Okay.
Teen
Contestants:
Two-piece
bikini or one piece swimsuit: String
bikinis ARE ACCEPTABLE. Swimsuit
should be a SOLID color Turquoise
OR Lime Green. No trim color.
No metallic, sequin or, velvet
materials/fabrics. Metal type
fasteners are acceptable (no
rhinestones)
Shoes
for all swimsuits: Silver
strappy heels (keep it simple)
(no acrylics, nude or gold
shoes). 4 inch maximum height
(3 inch is best for TEENS).
No platforms.
Jewelry:
Silver hoop earrings
• Evening
Gown: all contestants
must have a full-length evening
gown of their choice. The style,
design, and color is up to you.
It can be elaborate, or very simple.
Choose something that makes you
feel like Cinderella. Your gown
should represent YOUR own personality
and taste. Remember, you can look
like a million bucks without spending
a million bucks! Teens are encouraged
to wear gowns that reflect a more
youthful style and look than the
Miss contestants.
How
to Enter:
After reviewing all of the information on our website,
if you have an interest in becoming a contestant, please
click on the Apply Today starburst under the menu bar and
follow the instructions. There is NO fee required to apply.
Once we receive your application and photo, it will be
forwarded along with all other pertinent information to
the pageant committee. If your application is approved,
you will need to participate in a phone interview before
being offered an invitation to become an official contestant.
This truly could be the chance of a lifetime, so don't
delay, Apply Today!
Conclusion:
Hopefully, our website has provided you with a sense about
our company, our program, and the many opportunities
it offers. We hope it has answered most of your questions
about the pageant competition as well. Nevertheless,
we realize there is no way we can adequately convey
answers to all of your questions, or our genuine passion
for this program without speaking to you in person.
Please, don't hesitate to contact us, at anytime, with
any questions or concerns. We are here for YOU! We
sincerely hope you will decide to become a part of
our "pageant family!"
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