2009
MISS MISSOURI USA® and
MISS MISSOURI TEEN USA® Pageant
October
31- November 2, 2008– Springfield, MO
Juanita
K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts
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 the
MISS MISSOURI USA & MISS MISSOURI
TEEN USA pageant. 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 15 years ago. He
began as the director for Kansas,
and later became the director for
Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.
He 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 MISSOURI USA & MISS
MISSOURI 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 new 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 October 31- November 2, 2008, in Springfield,
Missouri, at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing
Arts
on the campus of Missouri State University.
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
MISSOURI USA or MISS MISSOURI 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 MISSOURI USA & MISS
MISSOURI TEEN USA.
The
winner of MISS MISSOURI USA will
advance to the nationally televised
MISS USA Pageant, and the winner
of the MISS MISSOURI TEEN USA title
will advance to the MISS TEEN USA
Pageant. Should MISS MISSOURI 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.
