Envision Your Reign

NAM Texas royalty pose after a pageant Whether you have a local, state, or national title the "unspoken rules" of wearing your crown and sash are the same no matter which pageant system you represent. And if you hold more than one title, these rules are just as important.  Here are my tips on proper crown and sash wear: When and how to wear them. 1. Community Service - Wear your sash or no sash at all. No crown.  Since the focus should be on the people or cause you're serving, a crown is not necessary. It could even take attention away from the cause. Sometimes it's good to bring the sash along with you for photo opportunities before or after the event but leave it off while you're actually serving. You could wear a jacket or t-shirt with your title on it as an alternative. It's always  a good idea to check with the event organizer on what they deem appropriate. Natalia D. performs community service 2. A gala, fashion show, awards ceremony...

1. She's too young... If she's not achieving those big state or national titles, she could very well be performing at her very personal best, but may be "out-performed" by older girls in her division. There's a huge developmental gap between age 4 and age 7, yet, pageants may have them competing in the same age division, which puts older girls at a huge advantage. Girls may peak at different stages, or ebb and flow into their sweet spots.  Age can be a major factor throughout her pageant journey. 2. Low Self Esteem.. .Older contestants will tend to have a variety of personal issues ignited by puberty, society's unrealistic standards of beauty, or personal hardships. It takes a super confident contestant to fight through these challenges to win. Ishta showing a confident smile before her competition 3. Too focused on "winning"... because when she doesn't win, her self confidence plummets, sending her through a downward spiral of...

Hannahlaura S. Photo by Steve Drury 1. Budget . You want to be able to fund the pageant journey without going broke. The sure-fire way to start off right is to make a budget. State pageant expenses including entry fee, wardrobe, and lodging could range from $1,500-$2,000 depending on how many optional contests you enter and how well you're able to keep wardrobe costs down. Don't forget to add the cost of photos and coaching if you need it! National pageants- including entry fees, airfare, lodging and expenses can range from $3,000-$5,500. To help manage your money, open a separate savings account for all your pageant-ing expenses and decide which fundraisers or jobs you'd need to do to make it work. Jordyn at her national pageant! 2. Plan Ahead . Make a calendar of all the pageants, events, camps and vacations you want to do this year (so you won't have any conflicts). A very wise thing to do is to plan to attend your out of state or national pageants eve...

Damacia Howard receiving her award for her service with Books for Africa The Volunteer Service Award is among the most prestigious recognitions a girl can receive in a pageant. It recognizes and celebrates a contestant’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to community. Recipients often have hundreds of hours of documented community service that can be traced back three years. This is exciting because it encourages community involvement and service to others, something that many people outside of the pageant world do not realize. In fact,  pageant contestants who are very actively involved in their community go on to become representatives of their state or country largely due to their service work. Robin and her friend both received the Volunteer Service Award at their state pageant Jada received her volunteer award among many others for her work with various organizations in her community Madyson received the volunteer service award for her dedication to...

Damacia Howard of Union City, Georgia has served her way to the title of National American Miss - 2016 Miss Georgia Pre-Teen. A shining example of a true servant, she's a passionate dreamer, leader and achiever in every way. Damacia's platform "Books for Africa" has drawn attention of her community, state, and nation. So far, she's collected 5000 books for students in Africa. Her dedication and service to the organization has earned her the coveted Prudential Spirit of Community Award for outstanding community service. Her hours of service does not stop at this organization. She's also an active volunteer with the Girl Scouts, the Wailing Wives Intercessory Prayer Ministry, and Tau Alpha Delta Christian Sorority, just to name a few. In recognition of her dedication to service and her community, she's received President Obama's Volunteer Service Award, the Outstanding Georgia Citizen Award, and was also honored with a proclamati...