article from UD review about Miss Wilmington Pageant -- Miss Delaware Forum

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3 ]

Subject: article from UD review about Miss Wilmington Pageant

Author:
enjoy

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 14:27:40 10/24/11 Mon

**nice article despite some inaccurate info here and there

Students compete in Miss Newark pageant
By Alexandra Nau

WILMINGTON, Del.—While most children were watching cartoons, 2010 university alumna Marcie Smith had her television set to another channel.

"I've been watching Miss America since I was five," Smith says.

Smith, who won the title of Miss Newark last year, competed for the last time Sunday night at this year's Miss Newark/Miss Wilmington pageant at Harry's Savoy Grill Ballroom in Wilmington.

This year, the women's group, ranging from ages 17 to 24, had enough contestants to award separate crowns for Newark and Wilmington residents. Senior Erin Magnin, a music education major at the university, was crowned Miss Wilmington, and Stephanie Bailey won the title of Miss Newark.

Both of these title-holders will compete in the Miss Delaware pageant. The winner will compete for the title of Miss America in January.

Magnin says she'll walk away from the competition with a handful of new friends.

"I'm having fun," Magnin says. "The women who compete are really kind and intelligent."

Bobbey Biddle, executive director of the Miss Greater Wilmington Scholarship Organization, which hosts the pageant, says anyone who lives, works or attends school in the state of Delaware is eligible to compete at the local level.

"They just have to be prepared to compete in various stages of competition," Biddle says.

This competition includes private interviews with the judges and an onstage interview question as well as swimsuit, talent and evening wear contests. Biddle says this year's contestants came to the event eager to win.

"This year seems very highly competitive," he says. "They're all strong in different phases of competition."

Becky Albini, a sophomore food science major who also competed for the Newark crown, is new to Delaware pageants but has competed on stage four times in her home state of Connecticut, winning local titles such as Miss West Berry and Miss Wolcott.

"I've done it since I was 16 years old," Albini says.

Each competitor must choose a social issue to pledge support to in the competition. After Albini was stalked by a sexual predator two years ago, she says she wanted to educate people, especially teenagers, about the importance of knowing how to protect themselves. She saw the Miss America organization as an outlet for her platform of safety awareness.

"You need to be aware of what's around you," she says. "I wanted to be a part of an organization because I can help people."

Albini says this platform, as well as the scholarship awards, constantly brought her back to the pageant scene. But she says these competitions are often stereotyped as shallow and inconsequential.

"I think people dismiss it before giving it a chance," Albini says.

Smith, who graduated last year with a bachelors degree in plant science, is using her scholarship winnings to help pay off school debt. Albini used her local winnings to buy textbooks.

In preparation, Albini worked out at the gym several times a week, watched what she ate and spent hours choreographing her tap-dance routine for the talent section of the pageant. She says she also practiced interview questions by watching CNN and Good Morning America.

"It's a lot of preparation," Albini says.

After Bailey and Magnin were announced as the winners, camera flashes erupted and the contestants ran to hug their families. Albini was announced as the first runner-up.

Albini says despite the disappointing result, her goal was always to have fun and grow as a person.

"I'm going to make the most of it," she says. "Everything happens for a reason."

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]