Locals to vie for titles at pageant
By STACIE MORGAN
Sentinel reporter
2/18/02
LEWISTOWN - The dancing, the singing, the excitement, the glitter,
and the smiles began for 24 girls on Saturday at the Lewistown Area High
School, when they had their first taste of what it would be like to be
in the 2002 Central Pennsylvania Scholarship Pageant.
Two local girls, Brooke O'Donnell of Lewistown and Alicia French of
Allensville, were at the high school practicing for the beauty contest.
The two Mifflin County residents, though their ages and looks may be
different, might find they have more in common then they know.
Brooke, a 20 year-old blonde, works at the Special Needs Center, and
is greatly concerned for the emotional well-being of children and teens.
Alicia, one of the youngest pageant contestants at 18, and a senior
at Huntingdon Area High School, also has the hearts of children on her
mind.
Out of the 24 pageant contestants, over half of them present a
platform that deals in some way with children or youth.
Children and youth today seem to be an area of importance for a large
population of the world's people. That interest might best be expressed
in Brooke's own reason for choosing the platform she did.
"With the things that go on in our schools today, things like
Columbine, I think it's really important to focus in on how kids are
feeling," she said, of her platform "Making Children and Teenagers Aware
of Each Other's Feelings."
Alicia's platform, "Needy Children in Third World Countries," might
not stem from a desire to minister strictly to the emotional needs of
children, though her sponsoring of a child in the Philippines clearly
shows a compassion for the wide range of needs that children have.
"I'm also in Key Club at school," she said. "We do a lot of projects
with children. And I've also been to West Virginia and Colorado, through
different programs, to help out less fortunate families with
children."
While platforms dealing with youth certainly run through contestant's
minds, they are also having to deal with other aspects of being
prospective pageant winners.
Alicia said she is "very nervous" about being in the pageant. The
area that causes the proverbial butterflies to flutter is the interview
she will undergo with the judges the day of the pageant.
"I'm not very good with grammar," she said with a smile. Her friends
and family members, as well as school teachers, have been helping her
stay current on national and world events, so that part of the interview
doesn't seem to be worrisome to her. Alicia also said she's nervous
about the swimsuit competition but seemed enthusiastic about the "really
cool one-piece sixties style" suit she would be wearing.
Brooke also claimed the judges' interview to be the area of the
pageant that caused her the most anxiety. While her friends and
co-workers have also been quite active in quizzing her on national and
moral issues, she said it was not knowing what question would be asked
of her that left her feeling a bit apprehensive.
Unlike Alicia, Brooke, a sophomore at Harrisburg Community College,
was not concerned about parading across a stage in front of friends and
strangers in an outfit that could be revealing. Though Brooke, too, said
she would be wearing a one-piece swimsuit.
While swimsuits and judges' questions are busily flip-flopping in the
tummies of the two girls, the talent portion of the contest does not
seem to worry either one of them. Brooke will perform a lyrical jazz
dance to a tune called "All or Nothing," sung by Athena Cage. Alicia,
who has been playing the piano for nine years, will perform a religious
piece called "As the Deer," a hymn she claims as her favorite and plays
in honor of her great grandmother.
Why do these young ladies subject themselves to the scrutiny of
judges and strangers who will rate them on their level of fitness, their
poise and their community awareness?
The obvious answer was given by Alicia, "I need the scholarship
money."
She plans on attending Clarion University and majoring in elementary
education with a minor in special education.
While Alicia may have hit on the reason most of the women enter the
pageant, Brooke, who is majoring in social services, gave two additional
reasons she considered equally important.
"I feel this is a good way to get the message of my platform out,"
she said, and added, "I also want to represent my community in a good
way."
She explained her answer by saying that "everyone only hears about
the drugs, the bad things that go on here. I want people to know there's
something more out there."
Regardless of their motives for entering the contest, both girls are
experiencing the world of beauty pageants for the first time.
Alicia said she felt a bit "intimidated" and remarked that some of
the women are familiar with the competitive beauty scene, and therefore,
have more experience. She noted however, the contestants she talked with
have been "friendly and welcoming." Brooke seemed to agree with Alicia's
observation of the other contestants.
"You meet so many new people and make some great friendships," she
said.
Both Brooke and Alicia also have similar advice when it comes to
entering pageants.
"You only live once," said Alicia. "I would encourage any girl to do
what she wants to do, and do it now."
Brooke's admonition was just as energizing, "Go for it! You sure can
have lots of fun!"