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The Miss America Pageant started in Atlantic City in 1921. You may
think that this pageant is all about beauty but it is about so much more.
These girls must have talent, raise money for charitable organizations
and of course possess great personalities. The Miss America Organization
is one of the nation’s leading achievement programs and the world’s largest
provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss
America Organization and its state and local organizations made available
more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance.
Here in our Community it all
starts with a little Princess
like nine year old Brooke
Raulerson of High Springs.
Brooke is one of seven
Sunshine Princesses, a
mentoring program run by
the Miss Gainesville/Miss
Alachua County Scholarship
Pageant and Miss America.
She has raised $650 for
Children’s Miracle Network
earning her the “Little Miracle
Maker” award.
“It is more than a beauty
pageant, it’s rewarding
young women for their talent
and it prepares them for
the workplace. Women in
this organization are deeply
committed to community
service and their educational
goals” says Merissa
Amkraut, Executive Director
of the Miss Gainesville/Miss
Alachua County Scholarship
Pageant.
Brooke would like to follow in the footsteps of titleholders, Diana Kelly, Miss
Gainesville and Katie Crews, Miss Alachua County who have made over
20 appearances since they were crowned in March. They have met with
Mayor Hanrahan and have assisted the Chamber of Commerce with many
ribbon cuttings and
have performed
at several charity
events such as the
Gators For Kids golf
tournament, Junior
Achievement golf
tournament and
Gainesville’s Relay
for Life. The city
has truly embraced
these two young
women.
Diana Kelly and Katie
Crews, both placed in
the Top 15 and Top 10
respectively at the last state
pageant. Diana is the state
winner of the Children’s
Miracle Network “Miracle
Maker” award, having
raised over $5,000 for this
cause.
The University of Florida
had the most young women
competing for the Miss
Florida title this year with 9
of the 45 contestants holding
local titles throughout the
state (5 of the Top 15
at Miss Florida were UF
students).
Executive Director,
Ms. Amkraut says that
community support has been
overwhelmingly positive
and that the organization
is excited to have this great
city finally represented
again on the state and
national level through Miss
Florida and Miss America.
The organization is run
solely by volunteers and
local business support.
Over $7,200 was raised
and donated to Children’s
Miracle network this year
in addition to scholarship
funds.
The Gainesville Scholarship
Pageant will be held on
March 7th 2009 at the Cofrin
Theatre. 2009 contestants
are now being accepted.
Visit
www.missgainesville.com
or call 352 318 4453 |
