Spring is the season of color, change, renewal, sports, and also the season of pageantry.

Senior Kayden Dallas has been competing in pageants since she was thirteen.

Hoskins: When did you start doing pageants? 

Dallas: I started on my own when I was thirteen and began at the Miss Teen Freestone County Pageant. I did it with my best friend Marissa, and we cheered each other on backstage. By the end of the pageant I actually realized that this may not be for me because I was pretty shy and insecure at the time, so I decided that I wouldn’t do it again. However, Marissa did not give up on me and she pushed me to try out for the Miss Freestone County Pageant, and ever since competing in it, I had a passion to keep trying and improve my skills.  

Hoskins: What is your platform? 

Dallas: Journal Your Heart: Inspiring Healthy Habits in Teens. I started this community service initiative because I struggled with dark intrusive thoughts and insecurities during junior high and journaling saved me from those struggles. I felt like a lot of teenagers in middle school experience some sort of struggle as they are going through so many changes, so I went to schools in Leon County and presented my story and initiative to groups of girls chosen by their counselor. To help, I created a journal called “Journal Your Heart” that is specially geared towards applying healthy habits to your life such as self positivity, goal setting, and organization. My CSI has helped numerous teen girls feel heard and has provided them a way out of their struggles and into a healthy mindset. 

Hoskins: Why do you like pageants?

Dallas: I really love pageants because of the amazing sisterhood that comes along with it. However, I found that the opportunity to help the community has actually been my most favorite part. I got to help young girls with their pageant routines to help them feel confident on stage, I got to lend a helping hand in many community events, and I also got to help teens girls strive towards healthy habits through an activity I am passionate about.

Hoskins: What pageants have you been in? 

Dallas: I have been in the Trinity Star Princess Pageant, the Miss Pre-Teen Freestone County Pageant, the Miss Teen Freestone County Pageant, the Miss Freestone County Pageant, the Miss Buffalo Stampede Pageant (I was Miss Buffalo Stampede and then my title had to be changed to Miss Leon County’s Teen for Miss Texas due to my age), and the Miss Texas’ Teen Pageant.  

Hoskins: What qualities should people in pageants have? 

Dallas: You definitely have to have confidence in yourself because there are times you don’t win and you will constantly compare yourself to other pageant girls, so you need to have the mindset to be yourself and not let others change who you are. 

Hoskins: How do you pick out your outfits

Dallas: This was another one of my favorite parts! “Style” is actually one of the four points of the crown, which help the judges determine their winner. At Miss Texas, choosing outfits was hard but also easy. Our opening and closing outfits were provided for us by Dillard’s and Terry Costa, and our Fitness and Onstage Question outfits were also provided for us by Dillards. But then when it comes to the dress, decision making is hard. For Miss Texas’ Teen, you want to have a big dress that makes a statement but it also shows your youth. When picking a dress I made sure that it was modest, colorful, sparkly, and showed my character. I also had to choose my talent outfit, which was surprisingly harder to do. I went through multiple different outfits and had to dance in each one to find what exaggerated my movement for onstage because everything has to be big for the audience to see. It took awhile, but I found the one that helped improve the quality of my dance and showed how fun my dance was.

Hoskins: Is there a theme to the pageants? 

Dallas: Yes! Each pageant does it differently. At small local pageants, they include a category specifically for the theme, whether that theme is Met Gala, Disco, or even Western. At the Miss Texas Pageant we did not have a theme category, but for the group dance the theme showed us as a Business/Boss Woman. On the final night that was aired live on television, we danced to “Man. I Feel Like A Woman!” by Shania Twain. 

Hoskins: What is your routine of getting ready? 

Dallas: Getting ready for any pageant is pretty stressful. You have to make sure you’re on time, you only have a few minutes backstage to change your hair and outfit, and you’re also just stressed because of all the nerves built up inside of you. To make sure I had the most time, I did my hair and makeup early in the morning and only brought some makeup to touch up in-between. Because there are multiple outfits, I attached plastic baggies to each outfit’s hanger with the accessories, so I did not have to dig around looking for jewelry. You’re also on your own, so the contestants with you play a big part in getting you ready for the stage!

Hoskins: How do you prepare from questions from the judges? 

Dallas: It took me months to prepare for questions from the judges for Miss Texas’ Teen. I practiced so much that I actually struggled to sleep because my mind was consumed with possible interview questions and how I should answer them. To start off, I practiced with Heather Sumlin, a pageant and mental health coach, and together we practiced how to answer political questions, prevent filler words, be myself in an interview, answer uncomfortable questions, and prove that I am worthy of the Miss Texas’ Teen position. We worked on my community service initiative essay together and my opening and closing speech for the interview. She helped me feel confident and comfortable during the interview by preparing me with multiple mock interviews months before the real deal. And when the time came, it was the first time I have ever walked into an interview excited to have alone time with judges, because this would be my time to show them who I am offstage.

Hoskins: Why did you start doing pageants?

Dallas: I started doing pageants mostly because I wanted to improve my speaking skills in interviews and in front of audiences, but it actually benefited me with even more skills than that. When I won Miss Leon County’s Teen, I learned how to interact with a community, speak in certain settings, and be a role model to those around me.