Lauren Deal
Macon Community News
The Alpha Rho Chapter of Lamda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc., is hosting the Miss “I Am Beautiful” Pageant on March 16, 2019, for any Bibb County girl in grades 6-8. Pageant coordinator Shana Johnson Burton will lead an informational meeting for interested girls and their parents on Saturday, November 10, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm at Virginia College, which is located at 1901 Paul Walsh Drive in Macon.
“Our sorority promotes the empowerment of women and girls, so that’s always our priority,” explains Shana.
“Secondly,” she continues, “we want to build girls’ self-esteem. Social media has done so much to give girls unrealistic expectations and tear girls down. We want to counter that. Lastly, we want to award scholarships. Every girl who participates can earn a scholarship, not just the winner.”
The members of the sorority hope that in addition to building their confidence and poise, girls who participate in the program will make new friends. Middle school is a difficult time for many young people, as they transition from childhood to their teenage years. The Miss “I Am Beautiful” Pageant hopes to give girls more tools to handle that transition.
Girls will be judged on several criteria. One aspect of the competition will focus on the participants’ career goals: “The girls will be judged in the career segment. The young ladies will dress up in clothing representative of the career field they want to go into and explain why they chose that career,” Shana explains.
“The participants will share with the judges how they intend to use their career to make an impact on their community and the world,” says Shana.
As with many other pageants, the Miss “I Am Beautiful” Pageant will also have a formal wear competition, during which the contestants will answer interview questions for the judges. Overall, the judges will be basing their decisions on each girl’s poise, confidence, and speech. There will be an optional talent competition, for young ladies who chose to participate in that segment of the pageant. However, a talent presentation is not mandatory.
“It’s the first pageant the sorority has done, but I have been coordinating pageants for about 15 years,” Shana says. Other Alpha Rho chapter members who are helping to coordinate the pageant include sorors Erika Davis, Theresa Tarver, and Lisa Solomon.
Any girl who wishes to participate in the pageant may do so, as long as she meets the grade requirements as a 6th through 8th-grade student. There is also a $35.00 registration fee. Attendance at the informational meeting on November 10th is not mandatory, but it will offer families an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the program. Interested parties can also contact Lamda Kappa Mu with questions.
For more information, or to find out about sponsorships and ticket purchases, please contact (478) 320-3854.