November 28-30,
2008
Arend Arts Center • Bentonville, AR
Pageant
Introduction
Jennifer
Vannatta-Fisher / Co-Executive
Director
Hello, and welcome to our web site! I was Miss Kansas (America) 1998,
and can tell you first hand that being a part of pageants is a rewarding
and life changing experience. During my year as Miss Kansas, I had the
honor of traveling throughout the state meeting with many interesting
and wonderful people. Looking back, I realize that my year as Miss Kansas
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 pageants.
I truly believe in the personal growth and individual development that
is cultivated by ones participation in pageants.
Prior
to winning the title of Miss Kansas,
I worked as a television anchor and
producer. As my year began to draw
to a close, I had to decide if I
would re-enter the world of journalism,
or pursue other opportunities. I
decided to join the staff of Vanbros
and Associates, Inc. The reasons
were simple. First, I love pageants,
and believe in the opportunities
they offer young women. Second, I
enjoy working with others, and I
gain personal satisfaction from knowing
I’ve helped make a difference
in the lives of others. It may sound
cliché, but it truly is a
blessing to watch our contestants
blossom into confident young women,
and to know that our pageant helped
them to find direction and success.
Finally, I decided to become involved
in this pageant because I believe
in its director. You see, the executive
director is my older brother John.
John
became involved in the MISS USA & MISS
TEEN USA pageants 14 years ago. He
began as the director for Kansas,
and later became the director for
Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.
We are very excited to now be the
directors for the state of Arkansas
as well. John has taken more than
90 women to the national MISS USA & MISS
TEEN USA competitions. Under his
direction, our states have become
regulars in the top-10, top-5, and
top-3. There have even been three
national winners. However, John is
most proud of the 'post-pageant'
real-life successes enjoyed by the
titleholders and the contestants
who write to thank us for their experience.
You can read some of the testimonials
at www.vanbros.com.
John's
focus from the beginning, and now
mine as well, is for this program
to provide a fair environment in
which young women have the opportunity
to better themselves. We hope the
pageant encourages the contestants
to gain self-awareness, self-confidence,
individual pride, and greater social
awareness. We hope each contestant
improves her ability to communicate
effectively, speak in front of people,
and stand up for her beliefs. We
encourage our contestants to find
issues she feel's strongly about,
and to become involved in organizations
and causes that speak to her heart.
Each young lady who enters this program
has different goals, and we strive
hard to assist each young woman in
her own personal quest.
Regardless
of what your future career plans
are, this is an environment that
can open many exciting doors. Each
year, future career connections are
made by contestants during their
pageant experience! Or, maybe you
have not decided yet on a future
career path. That’s okay too
because maybe this experience will
help you find something you want
to do with your life. This could
even be your chance to get "discovered!" Its
happened to many young women before!
We're
especially proud of the fact that
many contestants each year have never
been in a pageant and they find it
to be a rewarding and worthwhile
experience. Many have won on their
first attempt, and many others return
because it was a positive experience.
We like to believe that each young
woman who participates in our pageant
leaves a little more prepared to
deal with the world around them,
and more importantly, the world ahead
of them! Basically, our philosophy
for the MISS ARKANSAS USA & MISS
ARKANSAS TEEN USA Pageant is not
about encouraging young women to ‘win’ a
pageant, but to encourage excellence
in young women, and to help them
develop life skills that will ultimately
help them win in life by being the
best they can be in everything they
do.
The
winners of our State Pageant will
each embark on an exciting journey,
and receive a prize package including
cash, wardrobe, and travel. They
will also receive a scholarship offered
through our partnership with
Lindenwood University. Our state
Teen and Miss winner will receive
a Lindenwood scholarship worth $57,600.
Not only the winners benefit from
this positive experience, or from
our scholarship program. Runners-up
in our State Pageant will receive
Lindenwood scholarships valued at $48,000.
Semifinalists in our State Pageant
will receive a Lindenwood scholarship
valued at $37,600.
Also, EVERY
young woman who participates in our
State Pageant, Teen and Miss divisions,
will be offered a Lindenwood scholarship
valued at $33,600!
Pageant
Weekend:
While our program places an emphasis on excellence, achievement, and
personal growth, we also strive to make the pageant experi-ence FUN!
The pageant is a three day event, and will be held November 28-30, 2008.
On
the first day, it's fun, fun, fun!
The contestants enjoy meeting with
city officials and other VIPs, attending
a fabulous welcome dinner, and time
getting to know the pageant staff
and other contestants.
The
second day is full of rehearsals.
We bring in a choreographer and a
producer, who will put together a
great show. The second day concludes
with the presentation show. During
the presentation show, each contestant
is presented to the judges in the
preliminary physical fitness in swimwear
and evening gown competitions.
The
third day begins with the personal
interview competition. During the
interviews, each contestant has the
opportunity to meet indi-vidually
with each judge for a four minute
interview. Each contestant has the
opportunity to convince the judges
she is right for the job of MISS
ARKANSAS USA or MISS ARKANSAS TEEN
USA. Following the interviews, the
contestants return to the theater
for more rehearsals. The third day
ends with the final competition.
At the end of the final show, we
will have a new MISS ARKANSAS USA & MISS
ARKANSAS TEEN USA.
The
winner of MISS ARKANSAS USA will
advance to the nationally televised
MISS USA Pageant, and the winner
of the MISS ARKANSAS TEEN USA title
will advance to the MISS TEEN USA
Pageant. Should MISS ARKANSAS 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.
