We know that you may have many questions about your state's American Coed Pageants. Don't worry, others who've competed for the first time have also had similar questions! We've tried to collect many of their questions here to assist you with understanding the American Coed Pageant process for your state.
Scroll down to read all the questions, or jump directly to the groups of questions we've collected:
| Getting Started |
Expenses and Sponsor Fees |
Have other Questions? |
| Pageant Location & Facility |
Outfits |
Going to Nationals |
| Queen's Quill Newsletter |
Princess Potpourri |
| In order to provide
you with the most current and accurate information, content on this
page is subject to update or change at any time. |
| Getting Started |
| What is
the date and location of my pageant? |
The date and location are summarized for you on the Pageant Information page of this web site. A tentative pageant schedule is also shown on this page. | |
| How do I get started? | You're doing the
right thing now--take as much time as you need to review this
web site. It contains everything you need to get started.
It was assembled with ideas from across the
country. If you need more information, call the State
Director. When you're ready, submit the application located on
the Application page of this web site. |
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| What do I send in and when does it need to be there? | When you receive
your Newsletter #1, please see your “Important Pageant
Information Sheet” in the back for your deadline and when items are
scheduled to be in our office. To make things easy and accurate, please
use the handy yellow tear-out cards found in the center of this booklet
to include with the item(s) that you are mailing. |
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| What if I miss my deadlines, like for my program book picture, or my sponsor fees? Am I out of the pageant? | The deadlines are
an important guide to keep us all on track and ensure
that you have a comfortable amount of time to prepare as well as allow
the pageant to meet program book printing deadlines, etc. If you would
like to request an extension on a deadline, just give us a call!
Whenever possible we will extend the deadline for you. You are not automatically out of the pageant if you miss a deadline. However, as the pageant approaches, there may be a waiting list of girls wanting to get in. Please keep in touch so that we can reserve your place in the pageant. |
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| Do I have any help with questions about sponsor fees, dresses, etc..? | YES! Please call
us. Do not hesitate to call! If we do not answer, leave a
message and we'll get back to you! We also work through
email. You can email the State Director. Our contact
information is on the Contact Us page. Of course, an important source of information will be your newsletters. |
| Expenses and Sponsor Fees |
| What is a sponsor fee? |
The total sponsor
fee for all divisions is $349. The sponsor fee pays
for the cost of producing the pageant, awards, choreographers, emcees,
lighting, staging, sound, judges expenses, staff, florists, hotel
ballroom rental, trophies, cash awards, office support and all of the
many other things that go together to make a first class event. You may have as many or as few sponsors as you wish contributing to make up your total sponsor fee. Of course, the number of sponsors that may be listed under your contestant photo in the book is limited to space provided. Any combination of businesses, family or friends is acceptable. Neither the number nor name of your sponsors have bearing on the scoring in any way. Sponsor fees are not refundable. |
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| Who are
sponsors and why do you need them? |
Sponsors help pay pageant expenses including prizes, awards, judges’ expenses, chaperon and staff expenses, ballroom rental, staging, lighting, national pageant expenses, winners’ trip to Florida and Walt Disney World. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| How do
you get sponsors? |
Sit down with your
parents, read and discuss Newsletter #1. Be sure
you are familiar with this information so you can answer any questions
you might be asked about the pageant. Make a list of prospective
sponsors including parents, family members, businesses and clubs. Don't
forget to ask your grandparents about their ideas for sponsors in the
community. Dress up. Look your best. Visit the prospective sponsor in person. Phone calls and letters are not effective. Wear your State Finalist ribbon (which is enclosed with Newsletter #1). Have your Newsletter #1, and “Letter to Prospective Sponsor” ready. If you are contacting several prospective sponsors, make copies of the letter. Be excited about the pageant experience and it will be contagious. |
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| Who
might be good sponsors for you to approach? |
Excellent sponsors are local organizations, businesses, and individuals that may not only want to help you with your goals, but also advertise their business. First try contacting those businesses that you solicit often such as your family doctor, dentist, optometrist, orthodontist, and stores. Also consider family, neighbors, and other people who have watched you grow and mature and want to see you achieve your dreams and goals. Your parent's and families business contacts are also options. Here are some ideas, but don't be limited to this list! | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Do sponsors get advertisement space in the
State Pageant Book? |
Not necessarily,
but they can both sponsor and place an ad. Sponsor's names are
listed under your picture in the State Pageant Book. If
they wish to place an advertisement in that book, it is a different
matter--one of selling advertisement for a separate cost.
Remember that ad sales could qualify you for the State Hostess
position. See more about this on the Pageant
Information page. When you sell advertisement, the fee for
the ad is turned in to the State Pageant Office and does not count
against your sponsor fee. |
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| Can I sell advertisement space to obtain my
sponsor fee? |
No. The
reason you cannot sell ad space for your sponsor fee is that
money from ad sales must be turned in with the ad to the State Pageant
office. Sponsors may also purchase ad space in the State Pageant
Book. |
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| Can I obtain more sponsor fees than I am
required to turn in to the State Pageant office? |
Yes. You have
other expenses related to the Pageant that you may need to cover with
which sponsor fees might help. There are some optional contest
fees, possible cost for new outfits, travel to the State Pageant, hotel
bills for the State Pageant. Sponsors may or may not be the best
way for you to obtain these funds. |
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| What do you say to your prospective
sponsors? |
Take the color
brochure
you will be receiving with your entry form,
Newsletter #1 and your letter to a prospective sponsor. Briefly explain
the situation. For example you have just been accepted as a State
Finalist in the pageant because of your home, school, community, or
church activities and that you are trying to raise the sponsor fee
necessary to attend the State Pageant. Explain that the purpose of the
pageant is to reward and honor young girls for their work at school,
church, home, and community activities. Let them know their donation is
tax-deductible as an advertising expense if they are a business. Also,
tell them that you may have as few or as many sponsors as needed to
reach the total sponsor fee. Of course, the number of sponsors that may
be listed under your contestant photo is limited to the space shown on
your “Printers Card” (which you will receive in Newsletter #1). |
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| What if a prospective sponsor says no? |
Say “Thank you for your time” with a smile and remember that the only difference between any success and failure is that the people who succeed, fail . . . but they keep getting up and trying again. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| What if a sponsor wants a receipt? |
Most individuals
and businesses will use their canceled checks as a
receipt. If you should have a request for a receipt, you can use one of
the receipts provided in Newsletter #1. If you need more receipts, you
may make a copy of the ones you will have, or write or give us a call
and we will send you more. |
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| Write your sponsors a "Thank You" note. |
Let your sponsors know how happy they’ve made you. If you wish, make a photocopy of one of your thank you notes and bring it to pageant check-in. We’ll award a trophy for the best thank you note on pageant weekend. (Limit 1 entry per contestant). |
| Outfits |
| What are the requirements for the formal dress? | The rules for all
pageant outfits are shown under the "scoring" portion of the Pageant Information page on this web
site. The judges consider exactly the information on that
page. Additional information and examples are located on
the Outfits page of this web site.
Make sure that the dress is floor length so that your shoes do not show. |
|
| Where can I get the formal dress? | Most families look
among four sources:
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| Does my
formal dress have to be expensive? |
Definitely not.
What is important is that it meets the rules and it is a
dress that you enjoy. The formal wear scoring is based on your poise
and presentation in the dress; not the dress itself. |
|
| Does it have to be white? | No. Choose a color
that you feel good wearing. Solid colors work best. White is a very
popular color for dresses because it is easy to obtain
and has a bright fresh appearance. Accordingly, many girls happen to
have white dresses. This is not a scoring criteria in any way. At nationals we saw that the top contestants had a variety of colors and dress styles. There were no dresses that were dark (black, brown, navy blue, etc.). We suggest you focus on a dress that you're comfortable with, that makes you feel good, and therefore allows you to present well to the judges. |
|
| Tell me
about the Interview Outfit? |
You already have
one! It is in your closet now. See page 6 when you receive Newsletter
#1. |
|
| What
else will I need? |
You will want to
bring some comfortable clothes as well for rehearsals.
You will have previously purchased and obtain your production number
outfit on pageant
weekend. |
|
| Pageant Location and Facility |
| Will my
family also have fun at the pageant weekend? |
YES! The pageant
will be a fun mini-vacation for the whole family. They
will have a great time cheering for you and will have opportunities to
support you. Bring your swimsuits and enjoy the pool! There are lots of
fun activities in and around Minneapolis & St. Paul! Check the agenda for the weekend and plan your events around our activities or plan to stay longer before or after the pageant. If you've not been to Albuquerque recently, here are links to selected local attractions:
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| Do I have to stay at the hotel? | No.
However, it
helps make the weekend more enjoyable for you since all
of the pageant events are right there. Many contestants find
having their room near all the events more convenient because of outfit
changes, personal grooming, and so you don't have to rush. The
pageant provides a changing
room near the performance area for you if you don't have room and for
quick changes; however, space is limited. If you would like to stay at the hotel, there are special discount room rates available for the pageant contestants, families and guests. In your Newsletter #2 you will receive a convenient reservation card, or you can call the hotel directly to make a reservation. |
| Have Other Questions? |
| How do I win? |
We believe you win
just by participating in the pageant and gaining the experience and
skills that come with the effort. You'll see this emphasis
throughout our website and the materials for the American Coed
Pageants. However, we know that by asking such a question, you may also be wondering how one wins a crown title, particular events, and ability to compete at the national level. Note that our pageant offers many opportunities to win ability to compete at the national level because we want you to have the option to gain additional experience there! Here's a quick listing of ways you can "win" in our pageant! See the "awards" section of our pageant information page to learn a bit more about these items. The "contest" section of that page also has information about how you can win.
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| Do I need to go to any other functions or take a modeling/grooming course? | No. We will provide
training for all required pageant activities that
will take place on pageant weekend at the pageant host hotel. All prior
preparation can be learned easily in the comfort of your home.
Everything that you need for preparation will be in your newsletters. Please see information about Optional Contests on the Pageant Information page of this web site for information on the optional pre-pageant workshop. Optional competitions assume you've practiced your particular skill or presentation. |
|
| Do I have to be “beautiful,” thin, or have perfect teeth to have a chance to win? | No. The American
Coed Pageants while glamorous events, are NOT known as
“beauty pageants.” The rules and scoring are shown on the Judging page
of this web site. This is what the judges go by. Braces, glasses, skin
problems, varying weights, varying heights, and many other conditions
are all just a natural part of being young. The judges are scoring you
on where you are in life, just the way you are. For instance, did you
know that approximately one out of six of our “Princess” age winners
are missing their front teeth? Likewise, about one in seven of our
“Pre-Teen winners happens to have braces. What you need to concentrate on is just being your best and remembering to be positive, SMILE, and do the best with what you have! If you can develop and apply this attitude now, it will benefit you your whole life! |
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| Can I win the pageant without participating in the optional contests? | Absolutely! The
optional contests are provided to give you more ways to
gain experience as well as earn recognition, trophies, cash awards, and
ways to nationals.
They are summarized on the Optional Competitions page on this web site.
They in no way enter into the scoring for the queen’s title. However,
the more events you enter, the more opportunities you have to win
trophies and get the most out of the pageant weekend! Since the optional contests are offered “cafeteria-style” you can pick and choose those areas in which you want to participate. To ensure their separateness, the optional contests are evaluated by a separate panel of judges than the panels that are doing the scoring for the queen’s title. |
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| What will I need to learn and do at the pageant weekend? | Most of the pageant
weekend you will be involved in fun rehearsals;
learning the skills which you can apply in the pageant. Basic stage
modeling, using a microphone, public speaking, and interviewing in a
job-interview format are examples of the activities that you will have
the opportunity to master while rehearsing at the pageant. See
the Gallery State Competition page
for some ideas of what goes on! |
| Going to Nationals |
| Why go
to Nationals? |
Nationals are an
extension of the pageant experience for the girls. It is another
step in gaining confidence, experience, and poise. Contestants
and their families will meet others from around the country and learn
about different cultures and traditions. Not to mention it's fun, because it is held in Orlando Florida! There are many opportunities to visit theme parks and other sight seeing locations. Many families extend their stay so they can have other activities outside of national competition. |
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| Do I
have to go to Nationals? |
The only girls that
must go to Nationals are the State Queens in Princess and above age
divisions. Queens must agree to go to nationals to receive their
title, banner, and crown. If they do not go to Nationals, they
are stripped of their titles, must return their crown, and banner and
must pay fees to the pageant. National Hostess winners (selling 10 pages of ads) must go to Nationals to be crowned with the title of National Hostess. Before that, they are crowned as Minnesota Cover Girl at the State Pageant for the period between the State Pageant and Nationals. Petite Princess contestants are not required to go to Nationals because there is no such category at nationals and they receive no travel benefits. If they go, they must compete in the Princess category. We have set this practice because we feel it is often too early to send girls to nationals at the age of three. For everyone else, Nationals are optional if they qualify to go. |
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| Who can
go to Nationals? |
Because we want to
make the Nationals experience open to as many as possible, the
following contestants qualify to compete at nationals:
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| How
much does it cost to go to Nationals? |
Cost to go to
Nationals depends on your title, what competitions you are running, and
what you choose to do at nationals. Call the State Director for
more information. It certainly costs more than State competition because of travel to Orlando and related expenses like hotel, food, and entertainment you may choose. Expenses like these depend on what you choose to do and how you choose to budget your funds. |
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| Is it harder to compete at Nationals than
at the State level? |
It's not harder to
compete at Nationals, but it is harder to win. At nationals, you
are competing with winners like yourself. The competition is much
more difficult because of this, but it's not impossible to win. Our best position at Nationals has been 1st runner up to a queen division. We've also had one of our family members attending with her grand daughter named Miss Grandparent of the national event. Even if it's harder to win at Nationals, the experience is well worth it, particularly if you have the right attitude and outlook on the experience. Your State director provides advice to those going to Nationals and also some training related to things we've learned over the years and from other Directors. |
| Queen's Quill Newsletter |
| What is
the Queen's Quill Newsletter? |
Queen's Quill is a
newsletter of Duran Events which often focuses upon the details of the
Arizona, Minnesota, and
New Mexico American Coed Pageants. We intend this newsletter to
be more broadly focused upon issues of pageantry news. It contains current news, opportunities and specials related to the American Coed Pageant. |
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| How do I get a copy of the Queen's
Quill? |
You can find all
past and the current issues of Queen's Quill at http://queensquill.com/ on the
Internet. You may read these on your computer screen in full
color or print them out on your printer. Because of hard copy production and mailing costs, we mail this newsletter only to those with a strong interest in our activities and those that have participated in our events in the past. If you need a hard copy of this newsletter, please contact the Director. |
| Princess Potpourri |
| What is
Princess Potpourri? |
Princess Potpourri
is our shopping web site. We set it up to offer many of the
products that are available at our pageant activities novelty table and
a lot more for the princess in every girl. We're excited about
all the great jewelry, accessories, and fun items we've found.
We'll also set it up to accept payment of online Pageant and other fees. The site is also available to contestants free of charge for advertising used pageant dresses and accessories. Contact the Director if interested. See the website at http://princesspotpourri.com/. |