Local Contestants Win In Beauty Pageant

By NICK YAMASHITA

Moapa Valley Progress

Glitz, glamour and a little pizazz happened as local Moapa Valley residents Brook Teeples and Tessa Totten competed in the South Special Olympics Cameo Special Needs Beauty Pageant on the weekend of Jan. 26. This beauty pageant is sponsored and put on by the Nevada State Cinderella Girl Scholarship Program and Pageant.

According to Totten’s mother, Korindi, the pageant included participants from all over southern Nevada. The girls and women were judged on inner beauty, poise, confidence and community skills. Each participant was given time to introduce herself on stage prior to modeling. All contestants were given an award and queens were crowned in every division.

Teeples, an alumnus of MVHS, former Lin’s employee and daughter of Terry and Brenda Bowler competed in the 18+ division. Totten, a Mack Lyon Middle School student active in school events, church and cheerleading competed in the eight to 13-year-old division and was crowned queen. She is the daughter of Doug and Korindi Totten.

Past and current winners of the Nevada State Cinderella pageants helped organize, plan and put the pageant together. There were two special needs pageants held statewide, the South pageant in Las Vegas and the North pageant in Reno. The south pageant took place at the Marion B. Earl Elementary School in Las Vegas.

The pageant was set up just like the Cinderella beauty pageants including different age divisions and different categories of competition. The age divisions consisted of 3-6 years Tots, 7-9 years Mini Misses, 10-12 years Misses, 13-17 Teens and 18-29 Women. The categories of competition included an interview, casual wear, partywear and a talent.

Past winners and current Cinderella beauty program title holders, including local teen Amarissa Solis, did everything to help this beauty pageant happen. They coordinated the planning, raised funds, collected donated dresses and helped get the prizes together. They also helped the special needs beauty pageant contestants with their hair, makeup and more.

The Cinderella program is best known for awarding scholarships including $20,000 dollars on state levels and $80,000 on an international level.