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Wednesday, Jun. 10, 2009

WR hosts pageant hopefuls

Warner Robins was the site of “On the Road to State” this past Sunday as forestry queens from around Middle Georgia gathered before the state forestry pageant, to be held the next two weekends in Tifton.

The young women had tea and refreshments before attending a presentation about interviewing along with some practice interviews.

On hand to help the girls hone their interviewiong skills were Amanda Kozak, a former forestry queen and 2006 Miss Georgia and 2007 Miss Georgia USA, Miss Warner Robins Director Marcy Waugh, Miss Georgia Preliminary Judge Rodney Johnson and Tracey Osborne.

Miss Bibb County Forestry Katie Richland, Miss Houston County Forestry Ashley Baxter, Miss Bleckley County Forestry Courtney Walker, Miss Laurens County Forestry Kristin Stokes, Miss Jones County Forestry Carleena Lowe, Miss Bulloch CountyForestry Heidi Landon, Miss Dougherty County Forestry Joleigh Sartiano were all in attendance, along with a large number of queens from the younger divisions.

Amanda Kozak’s advice on interviews was the same as her delivery, honest: “Be yourself. Don’t try to be someone else in your interview.”

Kozak said interviewers like non-typical answers and contestants should think about possible answers and file them away in their “library of thoughts.”

“If they ask you what woman you admire most, don’t say your mama and don’t say Oprah,” she said. “They know you admire your mama. Think of someone else and be sure you can say why you admire that person.”

Preparing for interviews is key to success in them, according to Kozak, who won numerous titles and finished as second runner up in the 2007 Miss America pageant.

“Read the paper, watch the news. You can always learn more,” she said.

While the older contestants will have an interview portion at the state pageant, most of the younger participants will not.

That’s OK with Teeny Miss Houston County Aitasi “Shi” Lee, who said her favorite part about pageants was the “pageant walk.”

Shi demonstrated a pageant walk, which included a spin, a walk that is much more effective, she explained, if you have a “spinning dress.”

Other forestry queens at the “On the Road to State” event were Tiny Miss Hospitality Jones County Harley Davis; Bibb County Little Miss Madison Davis; Forsyth County Teen Miss Tess Hammock; Tiny Miss Dougherty County Sydney Pierce; Tiny Miss Bibb County Kinleigh King; Little Miss Jones County Autumn Land; Little Miss Worth County Lydia Suggs; Toddlers Miss Houston County Kamryn Burke; Teen Miss Dodge County Kristin Walker, Teen Miss Jones County Amber McIntruff; Teen Miss Dougherty County Cori Beth Sutton; Junior Miss Peach County Cassie Hulette; Teen Miss Laurens County Rae Evans; Little Miss Houston County Destiny Hulette; Teeny Miss Jones County Laney Poole; Toddler Bibb County Zoe Stevenson and Little Miss Laurens Marya Percival.

Visiting the event was Tiny Miss Florida Orange Blossom Autum Ballengee, a Warner Robins resident.

The Teeny and Tiny girls will compete June 12, the Little and Junior on June 13, and the Teen and Miss on June 20. The Teen and Miss contestants will spend a three-day weekend in Tifton starting June 18, with the Agrirama Tour and Reception and including the Tree Farm Tour and the Formal Ball. Interviews for the Teen and Miss contestants will be held June 19 and 20.

The winners of the State Pageant will receive a savings bond, and the Miss Queen receives a $4,000 cash scholarship at the end of her reign.

Anyone interested in participating in Forestry County Prelims and Fundraiser Pageants should visit www.midsouthforestrypageants.com