Sunday, October 31, 2010

Miss Amazing Pageant 2010



The title itself, expresses exactly what this pageant is...Amazing.  Twenty seven wonderful girls and women with disabilities competed in talent, interview, personal introduction and evening gown this weekend, and I had the honor to judge them.  This was my first experience judging and I don't think that it could have been any better.  Congratulations to Jordan Somer, the director and founder of the Miss Amazing Pageant.  This was the fourth annual pageant for Jordan and she was nationally recognized by TeenNick in receiving the Halo Award.  TeenNick was in Omaha filming all day Saturday during rehearsals and the show.  Jordan, along with three other teens across the nation, were chosen for the Halo Award and are being recognized for the service they are doing in their communities.  Jordan shared with us that, because of the award, the Miss Amazing Pageant has received $25,000!  This will open up so many doors for Jordan and the pageant and I know she is eager to use the proceeds to build the program and possibly spread it to other states with the hopes of a national level pageant someday!

On a personal level, the difficulty judging this pageant was overwhelming.  I have been surrounded with "typical" pageants for years and have now been exposed to this experience, watching girls, some of whom can't even speak, get on stage in front of an audience, with a smile on their faces.  There were times when holding back my tears was almost unbearable.

We had a scale of 1-7 to score off of, 7 being the highest.  In judging the girls, we had to be conscience of each individual and the disability they had.  Some of the girls waltzed onto the stage with a huge smile and won the crowd over with their singing, while others struggled making eye contact.  This became a judging of the heart.  On Friday night, there was an optional talent showcase where we saw talents in singing, dancing, verbal presentations, and violin.  As judges, we had many difficult decisions to make.  One of my favorite talents was by the lovely Stephanie Mitten.


Stephanie won the overall talent award in her division, signing to "Amazing Grace."  It was the moment the music started playing on Friday, that goosebumps starting creeping up my arms and legs.  What beautiful words, being signed by such a beautiful girl.  The restraint it took to hold my tears back was unbelievable.  The great thing though, was after this moving talent from Stephanie, we got to hear Joan Jett, and Miley Cyrus and see dances of all kinds.  Miss Kelsey Marten came onto the stage with her hands in the air and her hips shaking.  My heart was filled with warmth because of the courage and happiness I saw beaming from all the contestants.

Saturday afternoon we began the interviews.  This process was difficult because we were again challenged with the differences in disabilities; where we had many with great answers and some who wouldn't talk at all.  One girl I specifically want to talk about was Miss Jessica Shanno.  In our one minute interview, she didn't have anything to say nor did she make eye contact with me once.  But when we were beckoned to wrap up the interviews, I asked her if I could shake her hand.  She reached her hand out to me, raised her head to look me in the eyes, and smiled.  It simply melted my heart.  Brittany Uriel was unable to speak for herself but had her sister with her to answer my questions.  When she heard her sister tell me that her evening gown for the night was purple her grin grew; when I asked Brittany if the sister who was with her was her favorite, her smile grew even more and then turned into laughter.  These responses where the ones I needed.  Those smiles make all the difference.  Those girls were competing for the experience, to learn, to meet new people, and to have a chance at something that they wouldn't normally get; to be a princess.  To have a crown placed on their head and a sash across their chest.


Saturday evening brought all the girls to the stage to compete in evening gown and to present a personal introduction.  Each girl got the chance to introduce themselves with the microphone and during the evening gown competition were escorted by family and friends.  After judging those areas and hearing some special entertainment, the girls were brought back on stage to receive their awards.  Each girl was awarded a medal and trophy for the talent competition and each with a tiara and trophy for the runner's up and the winner received a sash as well.



Seeing the looks on their faces as they received them, (as you can tell) was such a reward in itself.  It was such a successful pageant and such a humbling experience.  I am so very thankful to have gotten the opportunity to participate in this event and look forward to being involved in the future!

The beautiful Baylor Mulick with her monkey :)
 Fellow judge and new friend Nicole Pannenton, Mrs. Nebraksa. 



I have to add in a little side note here: Between interviews and the evening performance I had a few hours of free time.  Being in Omaha by myself I choose to take advantage of the shopping (duh) and headed out to Village Point.  A minor detail.  I was dressed in interview attire and had managed to forget any sort of normal clothing so I walked around the mall in 4 inch heels, a pencil skirt and top.  You'd think by the stares and gockey looks I got that people never would have seen a woman dressed up before!  After my little shopping spree, I still had an hour to burn and the growl in my tummy was screaming at me to feed it.  ("Feed me Semore!" Little Shop of Horrors-love that quote!)  Not knowing the Omaha area completely, I just started driving around the area the pageant was held.  I eventually found a little park and saw a sign for JuiceStop.  JuiceStop being one of my favorite snacks, I thought I'd just grab one to take with me to the pageant, when I noticed a sign for Jones Bros. Cupcakes and Deli.  



I have to include this in my blog because I had a wonderful experience at the deli!  I had the four cheese grilled cheese sandwich with tomato basil soup.  The employees were wonderful and made sure that I was enjoying my meal.  After I had eaten and cleaned up my mess, I headed to the restrooms.  The decor was beautiful and they were clean (a great asset in itself) but even better than that...softest toilet paper I've ever experienced in a public restroom!  I know that sounds crazy and you may wonder why its included in my blog but it is SO uncommon I just had too!  And I know there are women and maybe even men out there who would appreciate the higher quality toilet paper.  :) I even made a point to thank that owner of the store and compliment him on his toilet paper choosing, which he told me was his mothers idea!  Those mom's sure know what they are talking about!  I shared with he and some other employees why I was in the area and they sent with me a box of 6 cupcakes to share with the other judges!  If you are ever in the area, stop into Jones Bros. Cupcakes and tell them you heard from Miss Omaha, that they have great food, delicious cupcakes, and AMAZING toilet paper!

:) successful weekend...I'd say its been one of my favorites!

Sincerely, Kayla
Miss Omaha :)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Catching up from the win!


"And your new Miss Omaha is....Kayla Batt!"

The night of October 9th, I was crowned Miss Omaha 2011!  (although that face above looks like one I may have practiced in case I were to win, it is the face of pain shooting through my thighs as I crouched to a near sitting position for the lovely Amber Leider to crown me!  I consider it a makeup workout for skipping out that day!)  What an amazing moment full of excitement and relief!  With Miss Omaha/Douglas County being my first local this year, I didn't know what to expect.  I went in and did my best and that must be what it takes, because I walked away, or rather ran, jumping and screaming, with a crown on my head and a sash across my chest, telling the world that I am Miss Omaha!  I had a great experience at the competition and got to spend the day with old friends and new ones too.  I was honored to have received part of the Spirit Award alongside my sister title holder Mindy Schreiber!  The Spirit award is such an honor because its voted on by the contestants, of whom spend all day with you.  Through makeup, hair, preinterview, and post interview, lunch, supper, rehearsals and all.  They get to see the real you, the you that is supposed to be portrayed in all areas of competition for the judges as well.  Mindy and I won the award and took home the crowns that night!  For me, being who I am in every part of competition and off stage is most important.  I feel blessed to have won the Spirit award in combination with the title.

Since becoming Miss Omaha, I have had opportunities popping up all over to get my name out and promote the Miss America Scholarship Program.  That evening, Chris Jeffers asked me to sing the National Anthem at the Air Force ROTC banquet at the University on November 20th!  I'm already counting down the days!  The day after the crowning I ran a 5K for CASA!  I was so anxious to get across the finish line that forgot to look at the giant clock with my time on it!  But according to a very reliable source who finished just two minutes earlier than I, said I probably timed in around 28 minutes.  Not bad for a non-runner! :)

I have also been asked to be a "Star" in the upcoming fundraiser "Dancing with Omaha's Stars"!  I am THRILLED beyond belief for this!  I am a musician who secretly wishes I could dance.  My dance time is usually spent in the comfort of my own home, in front of my mirror with just my cat Fancy as my audience.  He's very nice when it comes to judging!  I will meet with my dance instructor for the first time next Wednesday to decide what kind of dance we will be doing!  

Last weekend I made the trek out west to my home in Alliance.  I made the 6 hour drive to mentor a friend who will be competing in her first pageant Miss Chadron's/Northwest's Outstanding Teen competition this coming weekend.  We worked with her hair, makeup and interview skills.  I am so proud of her and really anticipating her competition this Saturday.  It also happened that while home in Alliance, Miss Chadron/Northwest was taking place only an hour away in Chadron.  I was an honored guest and also had the honor of performing a vocal piece to "Footprints in the Sand," by Leona Lewis.  It was moments later, after snapping a few backstage photos that one of the backstage helpers asked if I had another song I could perform.  I didn't bring any other music with me to sing but as a multi-talented musician, I volunteered my services as a pianist and performed, for the first time publicly, a song I wrote!  It is called "Dangerous Eyes," and until yesterday had no words.  As I sat down at the piano that evening, I began playing and realized that I had never played in 4 inch heels before.  It was at that moment that my knee got stuck underneath the piano while I was pressing the pedal.  Consider it unladylike or not, but I then kicked off my high heels and continued to debut my song!  It was so great seeing old friends and even old classmates, but best of all, I got to see two of my friends be crowned as Miss Chadron and Miss Northwest 2011, Nicki Windam and Mariah Cook.
 I am looking forward to competing with both of these wonderful ladies in North Platte in June!

Also, the newest additions to my one bedroom apartment....INTERNET and CABLE!  Having been without both of those things since June has been a struggle, but having them back again is equally a struggle!  I believe that I have spent more hours on Facebook and YouTube in the last week than I have doing homework, or playing my piano, or anything for that matter!  In all my YouTubing though, I found a video that is my new favorite that I'd like to share with you! An amazing dancing boy!  It may not be the most productive thing I have ever done but its entertainment!

As for the weekend, I have the pleasure of judging the Miss Amazing Pageant, hosted my Omaha's Jordan Somer!  A pageant supporting women and girls with disabilities!  I am anxious, as this will be my first time judging and excited for the small road trip to Omaha with my sister Miss Douglas County!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Kayla
Miss Omaha :)