The Miss Clarendon Scholarship Pageant is looking for ladies to sign-up and vie for the $500 scholarship and the Miss Clarendon crown come Feb. 6.
The Miss Clarendon Crew that guided 2013, 2014 and 2015 Miss Clarendons Elizabeth Black, Hannah Henshaw and Ariana Ruiz, respectively, are looking for more ladies this year for the Miss category, which covers ladies between the ages of 17 and 24.
“Miss Clarendon is a preliminary pageant to Miss South Carolina and Miss America,” said Henshaw. “I was fortunate enough to be with the Clarendon group for two years, as a teen and miss. If it were not for the committee, I wouldn’t have gone back.”
Local Executive Director Carrie Trebil said Miss Clarendon is “more than just a beauty pageant.”
“It’s so much more: These girls go through so much and do so much to prepare,” said Trebil. “When you think about them preparing for an eight- and 10-minute interview with people who can ask them anything from what’s their favorite foot to how they feel about homelessness and how they’d improve it, it’s so much more than just wearing a pretty dress.”
Henshaw agreed, telling The Manning Times in 2014 that one of the most challenging parts of her time as Miss Clarendon was keeping up with current events.
“When you’re at state (Miss South Carolina) and they ask you a question about a current event, you can’t just say, ‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ or ‘I don’t care about that,'” Henshaw said. “You have to be able to answer and answer like you know what you’re talking about.”
Ruiz agreed, saying that the interviews and public speaking were two of the more challenging aspects of the pageant process. She attended several meetings in Clarendon County to practice, including a dry-run at the Manning Rotary Club, where members were given questions pertaining to current events to probe Ruiz’s mind.
“That was a little nerve-wracking,” she said. “But like Carrie told me time and again, I had to be ready for anything. They can ask you anything when it comes to that point.”
Interview wasn’t a problem for Miss Clarendon 2015 Addison Hicks, who made it into the Top 16 at the Miss South Carolina Outstanding Teen state competition. It was a first for the Clarendon program.
“I had the judges laughing and I think I did a really great job,” Hicks said. “When I came out of that room, I knew I was golden.”
Trebil said the future Miss Clarendon, Clarendon Teen and Clarendon Pre-Teen – the latter a new category last year – also spend a lot of time in the community.
“There’s a lot asked of these young ladies,” Trebil said. “There’s a lot of community service, and they mentor others and raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network.”
And Miss winners receive scholarships to “better their education and prepare them for the future,” Floyd added.
Winners in the other categories win savings bond. All winners go on to compete at the state level. Miss Clarendon Pre-teen 2015 Eaddy Osteen did not go onto state competition, but did serve as a princess for Ruiz at state.
Henshaw said in the past the pageant has drawn only three to four girls per category, which is something Trebil and Thompson would like to see change this year.
“We really just want as many young ladies who want to come out to the meeting, and that’s not a commitment to be involved,” Trebil said. “It’s just a meeting to show them the process and what all is involved.”
Entrance to the pageant requires a $100 donation to the Children’s Miracle Network, according to state pageant rules. While Miss winners receive a $500 scholarship at the county level, the Miss Teen winner receives a savings bond.
“The next Miss Clarendon will be well-prepared for state, will have a person by her side for each portion of the competition and, ultimately, will gain a family,” said Henshaw. “Please take my word and trust that participating will be an amazing decision for you.”
For more information, call Trebil at (803) 435-8477.
