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Ten vie for crowns in upcoming Miss Ramona Pageant

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A group of 10 young women are busy practicing their speeches, interviewing skills, opening dance routine, and how they walk and present themselves in preparation for this year’s Miss Ramona and Teen Miss Ramona Scholarship Pageant on April 11.

The event, open to the public, will begin at 6 p.m. at the Ramona Outdoor Community Center, 421 Aqua Lane, with a “Back to the ‘50s” theme. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased from contestants or at the door.

Among those working with the girls are current Miss Ramona Courtney Ford and Teen Miss Ramona Elizabeth Bowersox.

“It’s bittersweet,” Ford said about her reign ending, but added that it’s time for other girls to experience what she has this year.

“You want to give them the life-changing experience,” said Bowersox, explaining that she has grown in character and come out of her shell.

Four are competing for the Miss Ramona title, open to females ages 17 to 25: Grace Berry, Allison Gaither, Shannon Huff and Shannon Singleton.

The Teen Miss category for 13- to 16-year-olds has attracted six contestants: Ashley Dominguez, Aixa Garcia-Cedillo, Megan Kelly, MacKenzie Nolan, Anna Simons and Ciara Webb-Martin.

Pageant Executive Director Jill Fleming emphasizes that the event is not a beauty pageant but a youth ambassadors program where the winners represent their community at a variety of events and volunteer their help, all the while gaining confidence, public speaking experience, job interviewing skills, and learning about giving back.

Their job, she said, is about “making a difference, not strictly about looking pretty.”

Wearing the sash and crown at events empowers them, said Fleming, and it is the directors’ hope that once those elements are gone, the girls will stay involved in their community.

Ford said when she wears her sash and crown, “it’s definitely a conversation starter.” She finds she interacts more with people.

“It brings out your inner self and inner confidence,” she said.

“We like to say always wear your invisible crown,” added Bowersox.

Many of the events Miss Ramona and Teen Miss Ramona participate in are down the hill and often they are joined by their counterparts in Lakeside and Julian. The three communities are part of the San Diego 678 Pageant System, said Fleming, explaining that they are connected by highways: state Route 67 between Lakeside and Ramona, and state Route 78 between Ramona and Julian.

Among events that Ford and Bowersox participated in this year were a Christmas program at Rady Children’s Hospital for children who were terminally ill or had illnesses, fundraisers, ribbon-cuttings, and the Ramona Christmas Tree Lighting.

Ford said her favorite was the Funbelievable fundraiser in Lakeside for children with Down syndrome, while Bowersox said her high point was helping with the distribution of donated toys at a Lakeside church during Christmastime.

For every event, Fleming or another chaperone accompanies the girls.

On April 11, the public will only see a portion of the judged competition. The girls will have a full day that includes delivering their speeches and interviewing with the judges. The interview, Fleming said, “is the biggest key.”

Judges are given each contestant’s biography a week before the pageant. Fleming said she and her assistants go over the bios and speeches beforehand.

“I try to work with each girl one at a time and find their voices,” she said.

The judges do not see the contestant when she delivers her speech, so they can focus on the speech, how it’s delivered, and not be distracted by looks, said the current royalty.

In the evening the public will see the girls in a non-judged opening dance routine to “Rockin’ Robin,” each girl’s presentation of casual wear, “golden nugget” or historical fact that they have researched, and evening gowns. They will also be asked an on-stage question that they did not know in advance.

“That was the most nerve-wracking part for me,” said Bowersox.

Fleming said she has an expansive wardrobe of evening gowns that the girls can rent to save on the cost of purchasing one, and most girls this year are utilizing that benefit.

Helping Fleming are assistant directors LeAnna Brown and Paula Jensen, Heather Richardson and former Miss Ramona Kilyaahwii Linton. Fleming said she and the others volunteer their time.

“We try to teach the girls to really show their hearts,” said Fleming. “These girls are all winners.”

In addition to the Miss and Teen Miss awards, judges will select a first runner-up (princess), and give awards such as best speech, best interview and most photogenic.

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