Here's a look at general information
about the Miss Gastonia program.
THE PROGRAM
Ask any pageant participant or former Miss Gastonia
and she will tell you that the Miss Gastonia program can change your life. Young women who participate earn college scholarships,
gain self-confidence, sharpen their public speaking skills and make new friendships that last a lifetime.
The Miss Gastonia
program is held annually in late July or early August at Gaston College. Contestant meetings are held in May and production
rehearsals are held the week of the pageant.
BEING MISS GASTONIA
The job of Miss Gastonia is more than just being
a beauty queen. Miss Gastonia is a young woman interested in her community. She is civic-minded, goal-oriented and career-driven.
She's a woman of the new millennium with a voice and a message.
While Miss Gastonia makes appearances in parades and
at festivals, the majority of her year of service focuses on the promotion of her community service platform. Chosen by the
young women themselves, community service issues can include anything from AIDS and breast cancer awareness to the importance
of mentoring. Basically, it's an issue with a message and one Miss Gastonia wants to share with the community.
Miss
Gastonia also represents the greater Gaston area in the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant held every June in
Raleigh. This event is an exciting week when young women from across the state gather, vying for the Miss North Carolina title
and rights to compete for the crown of Miss America. Most former Miss Gastonia winners will tell you that going to Miss North
Carolina is a highlight of their year.
Best of all, Miss Gastonia becomes a local celebrity and ambassador. People
take notice when they see the crown and many young women use the Miss Gastonia title to make a difference in the lives of
others.
THE SCORING
Participants in the Miss Gastonia program compete in five areas - Interview, Talent,
Swimsuit, Evening Wear and On-Stage Question. Scoring is on a 1-10 point scale with 10 being the highest possible score. The
highest and lowest scores are discarded and the others are averaged together for the total score in each particular category.
Talent is 35 percent, Interview is 25 percent, Evening Wear is 20 percent, Swimsuit is 15 percent and On-Stage Question
is 5 percent. The top five contestants are announced and the winner and runners-up are determined by a final ballot
vote.
THE BENEFITS
Young women reap numerous benefits from their participation in the Miss Gastonia program.
The biggest benefit to some is the scholarship assistance while others enjoy the opportunity to make a name for themselves
in the greater Gaston community. The scholarships help finance that all-important college education, thus giving young women
the needed tools to achieve their career goals.
The promotion of the community service platform gives Miss Gastonia
the chance to become a local leader and role model and being Gastonia's representative at Miss North Carolina pushes that
young woman into the media spotlight.
If you are in need of college scholarships, desire
the chance to advocate an issue in your community and would like to become a local celebrity, the Miss Gastonia program may
be right for you. The benefits are limitless and the exposure as Miss Gastonia can be a stepping stone for future endeavors.
CONTESTANT INFORMATION
Young women ages 17 to 24 wishing to participate in the Miss Gastonia program should
meet one of the following eligibility requirements -
*be a legal resident of either Gaston County, Cleveland County,
Lincoln County, Rutherford County, Mecklenburg County, Catawba County or Caldwell County
*be a full-time student at a college or university
in either Gaston County, Cleveland County, Lincoln County, Rutherford County, Mecklenburg County, Catawba County or Caldwell
County
*be employed full-time at a business or company in either Gaston County, Cleveland County, Lincoln County,
Rutherford County, Mecklenburg County, Catawba County or Caldwell County
*Other rules and regulations apply
VOLUNTEER
INFORMATION
Those dedicated people who make the Miss Gastonia program possible are volunteers who give of their time,
talent and resources. We encourage those individuals interested in positively promoting this program in the community to consider
serving as a volunteer.
We also invite members of the business community to consider making a monetary contribution
to the Miss Gastonia scholarship fund. For more information, call Delores Cox, executive director, at (704) 827-7277.
YOUTH
PAGEANTS
The Miss Gastonia program is proud to sponsor several pageants throughout the year for children and teens.
We hold youth pageants for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Down Home
Festival. We also sponsor Little Miss Gastonia, Little Miss Cleveland County Princess and Little Miss Lincoln County.
Proceeds from the youth pageants benefit the Miss Gastonia scholarship fund.
OUTSTANDING TEEN
The Miss Gastonia program is proud to sponsor a
new pageant for young women ages 13-17. The Miss Gastonia's Outstanding Teen Pageant is an exciting pageant program
designed especially for our community's most outstanding teens.
PAGEANT LINKS
Here are a few
pageant links of interest:
www.missnc.org
www.missamerica.org
