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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
Joe Vaccarelli
Miss Galaxy/International
Many little girls dream to one day win a beauty pageant and then have that illustrious walk down the red carpet as they are serenaded.
But for two Metro students, that dream is a little bit closer to reality. This summer, junior Amanda Kepple will compete for the title of Miss Galaxy and junior Stephanye Townsend will compete for Miss International.
Kepple, a speech communications major, has been competing in pageants for about six years. She won the title of Miss Galaxy Colorado on April 5, triumphing over three other girls for the crown, including Townsend, a biology/pre med student who was second runner up. And for Kepple, the hardest part was just getting there and signing up.
“My car wouldn’t start, the judges lost my paperwork and I tripped over my evening gown,” she said.
This was the first year that Colorado has held a Miss Galaxy pageant. The events for the contests were an interview, evening gown, swimsuit and fashion wear competitions.
Townsend, however, had a much easier path to victory, winning only the third pageant she ever entered. She was second runner-up to Kepple the week prior, taking home best swimsuit honors and placing in the top 15 in her very first pageant about six months ago.
During that time, Kepple has become a good friend and somewhat of a coach to Townsend.
“All my thanks went to Amanda when I won,” Townsend said.
Townsend won her event on April 12 in Loveland and had to go through an interview, aerobic wear, fun fashion wear and evening gown competitions to win.
Each girl had a platform they spoke on during their interview process that was a big part of winning the crown, for Townsend especially.
Kepple chose the Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization that provides new, warm pajamas and books to children in need around the country, according to their website.
Townsend, on the other hand, went for a more taboo topic in the pageant world. She chose the Alliance Against Domestic Violence as her organization that she spoke on.
“Everyone thinks of pageant girls talking about world peace and stuff like that,” Townsend said. “Domestic violence is something that is not normally spoken on in that forum, and it should be. There are more victims of domestic violence than drunk driving, there are warning signs, and it doesn’t discriminate.”
Townsend has a lot of experience dealing with domestic violence. Her mother was a victim, as was her friend, Abigail Robinson, a Metro student who was murdered by an ex-boyfriend.
Townsend, who thought her unique platform set her apart from the other contestants, again thanked Kepple for helping her pick her topic and Kepple’s boyfriend for helping her write her speech.
From here Kepple will travel to Orlando from July 30 through Aug. 3 to compete against 24 other girls for the title of Miss Galaxy. Not all competitors will be from the U.S. Girls from Bulgaria, India, Canada and the U.K. will also compete for the title.
Townsend will travel to Chicago from July 26-27 and will have to beat 62 other girls to take home the crown of Miss International. Once again, competitors are not restricted to the U.S.
If either girl wins, they will travel the country and work with charities to fundraise, do some high glamour stuff and just try to make a difference. But neither of them will work too hard to win.
“The girls that come out unprepared usually win,” Kepple said. “They just sound more real.”
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