The Alexander City Outlook

Calendar Girl Pageant applications due Thursday

All applications for the 2012 Miss Outlook Calendar Girl Pageant need to be turned in by Thursday, Jan. 5, Pageant Director Kim Booker said Tuesday.

“We’d like to have them all in as soon as possible,” she said. “The sooner the better, but we will accept applications until Thursday at 5 p.m.”

The annual pageant will be held Jan. 7 and 8 at the Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium and is open to girls age 4 through high school seniors from Tallapoosa, Coosa, Clay and Elmore counties.

“I encourage anyone interested in participating to do so,” Booker said. “The pageant is a great opportunity. It helps boost self-confidence and allows the participants to meet girls from the surrounding area.”

Contestants will be divided into four separate categories: Petite Miss, age 4 – 2nd grade; Little Miss, 3rd – 6th grade; Junior Miss, 6th – 9th grade; and Miss Outlook, 10th – 12th grade.

Petite and Little Miss contestants will be judged on sportswear, modeling, overall beauty, interview and party dress, while Junior and Miss contestants will be judged based on sportswear, modeling, figure, overall beauty, interview and evening gown.

Every girl in the pageant will earn a title. Contestants could receive a cash award, roses, a sash or a trophy depending on what category they win. In addition, each will be featured in the paper through the year.

The contestant named Miss Outlook will receive a full Ambassador’s scholarship to Central Alabama Community College.

“We really want to emphasize that Miss Outlook receives a scholarship,” Booker said. “It’s a two-year scholarship.”

Miss Outlook 2011 Season Speaks said that participating in the pageant last year was “very exciting.” The CACC freshman added that she is planning to use her scholarship to finish her basic courses before enrolling in Southern Union’s radiology program.

“Last year was my third year doing the pageant. I did it two other years when I was younger,” she said. “It’s a fun event. It helps you be yourself and show your own personality.”

Rehearsal for Petite Miss and Little Miss contestants will be held Friday at 5 p.m., while rehearsal for Junior Miss and Miss Outlook contestants will be Friday at 7 p.m.

The Petite and Little Miss pageant will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 7 a.m. for the contestants to start getting ready and preliminaries will start at 8 a.m.

The Junior Miss and Miss Outlook pageant will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. for contestants to start getting ready and preliminaries will begin at 1 p.m.

Tickets to each pageant will be $8 at the door. Concessions will also be available.

The pageant, which is sponsored by The Outlook and Central Alabama Community College, began in 1974 and is a winter tradition for many families in the Lake Martin area.

Registration forms for the pageant can be picked up at The Outlook office and should be returned, along with a photo of the contestant, no later than Jan. 5 at 5 p.m.

For questions concerning applications, call Booker at The Outlook at 256-234-4281.