On Oct. 15, Clark County held the 75th Miss Clark County Teen (MCCT) pageant, leaving viewers stunned by the talent and intelligence of the students participating. For quite a while, many misconceived pageants as a competition for beauty. In reality, contestants feel they hold a much deeper meaning, with incredible benefits for high placement in the pageant.
Camas High School (CHS) student Shelby Baldwin, a two-time contestant in MCCT, said that when she told friends about the Miss Clark County Scholarship Organization, they understood it as a beauty pageant. She took account of a popularized belief that pageanting is for beauty purposes only but highlighted its perks, such as funding for higher education.
“Even though I have not won a crown over the past two years of competing, this past year I earned $1,800 in scholarships and will now be able to earn my associate’s degree debt free,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin found that pageanting is not just for the wealthy Beverly Hills demographic as she once thought. It is for everyone. Focused on education rather than beauty, pageants ensure everyone takes away a prize, whether interview skills, scholarship money or new friendships.
Sean Tamura, a Career Information Specialist at CHS, understands the importance of scholarship programs like Miss Clark County.
“Anytime there are scholarships available, I would love for more people to know about it,” Tamura said. “It depends on being able to get the advertisements into other people’s hands.”
Tamura explained the trouble of scholarship resources being so underrated to those who could benefit from them the most. He said the MCCT program is a beneficial resource for anyone wanting to exercise and express their talent.
CHS student Zoe Doughter, who recently had her little sister perform in a pageant and has attended a few herself, noted the amount of empowerment MCCT has brought to young women.
“What I’ve seen from being able to participate in these pageants is that a lot of the girls up on stage are having fun and being genuine,” Doughter said.
She has seen countless girls given opportunities that could only be given through pageanting, such as starting their community service program, scholarships and fun photoshoots.
Pageanting is a prized resource that many often misunderstand or forget. The benefits given to those who participate are astonishing, supporting who they want to become and uplifting who they already are. It is essential to know that a program that prepares students for adulthood and furthering their education exists and is available to everyone attending CHS.
