Chamber brings back pageants after hiatus
Paul Gaudette and Wyndi Veigel
After a two year hiatus, the Dublin pageants returned in a spectacle of elegance, sparkles and fun.
Organized by a subcommittee of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, the Little Miss, Junior Miss and Miss Dublin ambassador pageants took to the intermediate school stage Thursday, March 16 and Friday, March 17.
As this year’s pageants got underway, participants dedicated weeks to practice and selling raffle tickets to aid the pageant funds, including a $1,000 scholarship that Miss Dublin receives.
The suspense was palpable in Dublin Intermediate Auditorium as the crowd waited for the 2023 Little Miss Dublin to be crowned Thursday night.
The delay between first runner-up and first place was extended more than usual as host Deanna Turley announced, “Hold on tight. We’ve got some contestants that have to go to the bathroom.”
Once the contestants were back in line, a wave of applause erupted as first grader Kennedy Reese was presented with the sash by 2020 Little Miss Dublin Scarlett Salazar and 2020 Junior Miss Dublin Addison Ivie (the most recent title holders after the pageant hasn’t been held for several years).
First runner-up was presented to Leighton Biggs.
Second runner-up was presented to Kinzie Sanders.
It was announced that the Little Miss contestants sold an impressive 4,938 tickets to go toward the Dublin Ambassador scholarship program, helping the chamber as it raised the scholarship from $300 to $1,000 this year.
The sash for Most Tickets Sold was claimed by Lyrick Curry, who sold 1,001 tickets. Tied for second place were Lakyn Bamber and Kennedy Reese, who each sold 700.
All 15 contestants showed impressive poise and patience throughout the event, taking several tours across the stage in their colorful finery as Turley read their responses to several questions including their favorite movies (which included answers like “The Little Mermaid,” “Tangled” and “Selena”) and favorite things about Dublin (to which many said there were great things to eat and a lot of things to do at places like the library and Grafton Events Center).
During their individual stage walks, kindergartener Coyt Curry escorted each contestant on stage and first grader Daniel Ruiz Alejandra escorted them off.
Pam Crabtree was recognized for the decades of providing crowns for the pageants as Turley related how she was sponsored in the pageants by Golden Butterfly when she was younger. The two shared a hug onstage after Crabtree was presented with a bouquet in appreciation. At the Miss Dublin pageant, Crabtree received a plaque of appreciation.
Special thanks were also offered to Bloom & Bee Swanky, Cain Pools, B&H Crafts, Repairware and Kristi Watkins and the pageant committee.
Watkins also introduced and thanked the judges in the program, Sarah Caten, Sheri Nichols and Tessa Kelley. Representatives from First National Bank were on-hand to tabulate, ensuring correct calculations in the crowning.
At the Miss Dublin and Junior Miss Dublin pageants, Janna Sharp Johnson presented winners with their crowns. Johnson was the 1981 Miss Dublin at the Free Fall Fair and held the title until 1983 when the pageants were moved to St. Patrick’s Day.
Miss Dublin and Junior Miss Dublin contestants were scored on an interview portion that took place on March 5, prior to the pageant, and both pageant contestants modeled sports wear and formal wear during the pageant. Miss Dublin contestants were also asked an onstage question.
Junior and Miss Dublin contestants were sponsored by local businesses and all contestants sold raffle tickets to raise funds for scholarships.
Together, all pageant contestants sold $9,666 tickets with Little Miss Dublin contestants selling 4,938, Junior Miss Dublin contestants selling 1,397 and Miss Dublin contestants selling 3,331.
Winners of $100 from the raffle were Jessie Bamber, William Connally and Darren Price. As the Miss Dublin and Junior Miss Dublin contestants showed poise and grace while modeling outfits, judges Tessa Kelly, Liz Walker and Dr. Stephanie Atchley had their work cut out for them as they chose winners among a beautiful, intelligent and eloquent group of young women. During a break, Chamber President Blanca Martineau shared her thanks for the pageant organizers and shared advice from her mentor.
“He said your teachers give you your A’s but I’m going to give you your B’s,” she said. She shared six B’s: Be grateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble and be prayerful.
Escorts for the pageants included Jaxon Salinas and Alessandro Moreno for Junior Miss Dublin and Elijah Gonzalez and Hayden Millburn for the Miss Dublin contestants.
Ultimately, Joli St. Germain, a senior at Dublin High School, was crowned as Miss Dublin 2023. First runner up was Madison Turley and 2nd runner up was Tembree Brown. Miss Congeniality, which is voted on by the other contestants, was Emma Vargas. Most Ticket Sales and Most Photogenic went to Sarah Resendiz. Resendiz sold 1,755 tickets and second place ticket seller Nicole Foster sold 600.
During the on stage question portion of the Miss Dublin pageant, Joli answered the following question: What are some organizations you are involved in that give back to others?
“An organization that I’m involved in that gives back to others is the FFA. The FFA is a student-led organization where one of its founding principles is service. An experience that I’ve been able to take part in is a highway cleanup right here in Dublin on behalf of my chapter. It was so fulfilling knowing I was able to give back to the community through an extracurricular,” she said.
In the Junior Miss Dublin pageant, Tylor Nail swept several categories including being named as 2023 Junior Miss Dublin, most photogenic, and one of the Miss Congeniality winners.
During the pageants, emcee Madison Phillipson read biography information about each contestant. Tylor named chicken spaghetti as her favorite food and Harry Potter and the Prison of Azkaban as her favorite movie because it was also her favorite book.
“What Tylor loves about Dublin is that it is a small town filled with her family’s history,” Phillipson read.
Other award winners included Charlotte Meador who was also named as Miss Congeniality. First runner up for the Junior Miss Dublin Pageant was McKayla Hernandez and 2nd Runner up was Ximena Lopez.
Junior Miss Most Ticket Sales went to Karsyn Bamber, who sold 661 tickets.
The pageant organizers are hopeful as time goes on, that the scholarship can be increased and expressed appreciation for everyone in the community who supported the pageant.