Miss Covington will reign again in 2009, but the organizer needs help.
Nearly two years ago, BreAnna Stewart decided to put on the Miss Covington pageant as a senior project while she was at Kentlake High School. It went really well, but Stewart, who is now a student at Green River Community College, moved to California for a year and the pageant languished. There is interest, she said, in bringing it back next year, but there are some new challenges.
“After we ran all the expenses, we profited by $1,500, all of which went to the 2007 senior class,” Stewart said of the inaugural pageant. “We had 24 girls participate in both age groups.”
What was once a school project is now a project for the good of the city of Covington, which means a completely different approach.
“This year it’s a little bit harder, because when I did it the first time, it was run by the school so everything was paid for by the school,” Stewart said. “We didn’t have to worry about anything because it was a school project.”
This time around, Stewart needs to find sponsors, raise money and get insurance for the building where the pageant is held.
“We’re kind of stuck on that right now,” she said. “We have 12 returning girls. And the girls are excited. There are girls who have already bought their dresses.”
When this was a school project, Stewart was getting a grade for her involvement. She was taking a leadership class and could spend time during that class period working on the pageant. Now she’s going to school part-time, working full-time, and she’s trying to get back into playing softball at Green River. Stewart will need some partners to get the pageant off the ground.
During a City Council meeting Sept. 23, she asked for help. The city hasn’t publicly offered direct assistance, but officials have directed Stewart to various community organizations.
“Without sponsors and donations, it’s not going to happen,” Stewart said.
She is shooting for a January date for the pageant, so there is a great deal of work to be done. Stewart has set up online information at www.misscovington.synthasite.com.
There were two categories for the original pageant, and Stewart plans to offer them again – a Miss Covington for girls 13 to 18 years old, and a Little Miss Covington for 8 to 12-year-olds.
The younger girls competed in evening gown, sports wear and judges interview, while the older girls also had to deal with an academic portion as well as an optional talent event.
When Stewart organized the first pageant, she didn’t have any personal experience organizing one, but she had competed in pageants, including Miss Washington Teen USA. And this will also be a leaping off point for Stewart’s next pageant appearance next year, as she is planning to participate in Miss Washington.
Staff writer Kris Hill can be reached at (425) 432-1209 (extension 5054) or khill@reporternewspapers.com.
