By Jane DeGeorge
Eagle Reporter
Published: April 3, 2008

You don’t have to be drop dead gorgeous to be a pageant queen.

The Madison County Scholarship Pageant – set for Saturday, April 12 – isn’t just about looks, according to the pageant’s co-director Erin Stickler of Locust Dale.

“We don’t want girls to think, ‘I’m not a size two, I can’t do this.’ Everybody’s welcome,” Stickler said, explaining that participants are also judged for their interviewing skills and community service activities.

Stickler and fellow co-director Mindy Wyman took over the reins of the pageant this year, as the Madison Jaycees stepped down from sponsoring the annual event, now in its 53rd year. This past year, the pageant’s longtime host Jeff Clore announced that he was retiring from hosting the yearly event after about two decades.

Stickler and Wyman, who have previously assisted with the Madison County contest, recently established a new nonprofit organization, called the Madison County Scholarship Pageant, to run the show.

The co-directors have added some new features to the 2008 event, which they hope will attract additional contestants. The Mister Madison category – open to young men in grades nine through 12 – was recently added due to expressed interest, according to Wyman.

When pageant representatives recently set up shop in the MCHS cafeteria during school hours to try and recruit additional female contestants, “we found the boys were very interested,” the pageant co-director said. “Quite a few said they would do it so we’ll see how it goes.”

On top of every participant receiving a gift bag, four contestants in each category will be recognized as winners and the three runners-up, according to Stickler.

“No one is going home empty handed, everyone will get something,” she said. “I’ve been to lots of pageants with lots of crying if they didn’t get anything and we don’t want that.”

In addition to gifts, awards, trophies and banners, which will be given to the winners and runners-up in each category, the Miss Madison winner will take home a $500 scholarship and the Mister Madison winner will receive a cash prize.

The spring contest will include two additional age categories, Baby Miss and Master, open to boys and girls age 0-23 months, and Toddler Miss and Master, open to boys and girls age 2 to 4 years old.

The age and gender requirements for the other categories are: Tiny Miss and Master, 4- to 6-year-old boys and girls; Little Miss, girls 7 to 9 years old; Pre-teen Miss, girls 10 to 12 years old; Junior Miss, 13- to 15-year-old girls; Mister Madison, young men grades nine through 12; and Miss Madison, 16- to 21-year-old young women.

Formal wear is mandatory for all age groups except Mister Madison. Pre-teen Miss will also compete in casual wear. Junior Miss and Miss Madison will additionally compete in casual wear and an interview segment. Mister Madison will be judged for casual wear and personality.

This year, the pageant includes an optional photogenic category in each age group, for an additional $10.

The photo doesn’t necessarily have to have been taken by a professional photographer, “it can be a cute snapshot,” according to Stickler.

It is free to enter the Mister Madison contest. Pre-teen Miss, Junior Miss and Miss Madison contests are $25. The fee for all other contests for younger age groups is $15.

Participating in the pageants is a confidence builder for the contestants, according to the co-director.

“My daughter’s done pageants and it’s definitely helped her self-esteem and public speaking. She’s quick on her feet to answer questions on stage,” Stickler said.

Plus, the event offers some perks that are appealing to most young girls, according to Stickler. 

“You get to buy a nice dress and go on stage – it’s fun,” she said. “What little girl doesn’t want to prance around on stage in a nice dress?”

Organizers are accepting donations to help offset the cost of prizes and trophies. The names of sponsors are mentioned in the back of the program booklet available at the event.

“We’re a nonprofit so all of the donations go straight to the winner and to the cost of the prizes for the others,” the pageant’s co-director said.

The schedule of the pageant, which will take place in the Madison County High School auditorium, includes:

*9 a.m.—Baby Miss and Master.

*10 a.m.—Toddler Miss and Master.

*11 a.m.—Tiny Miss and Master.

*12:30 p.m.—Little Miss.

*3 p.m.—Pre-teen Miss.

*6 p.m.—Junior Miss, Miss Madison and Mister Madison.

The cost to attend each pageant event before 6 p.m. is $3. The cost to attend the pageants starting at 6 p.m. is $5. It is $15 to attend all of the day and evening pageant events.

Pageant contestants must be Madison County residents. Past winners are allowed to compete if they are moving up an age division.

A pageant orientation is set for 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 7 in the Madison County High School auditorium.

Mister Madison contestants must sign-up in person at the high school at 5 p.m., Saturday, April 12. All other Madison County Scholarship Pageant contestants are encouraged to sign-up as soon as possible. Those who sign up after Saturday, April 5 will be charged a $5 late.

For information or to request an entry form, contact Erin Stickler at (540) 672-0345 or Mindy Wyman at (540) 229-6121 or e-mail .