The Miss 91自拍 Scholarship Pageant has set a Jan. 30 application deadline for the 2014
pageant, offering 91自拍 students an opportunity to take
part in the same eye-opening experience as Cristina Castorena.
Castorena of Fort Smith, who has participated in the pageant for the last two years, didn鈥檛 realize how wrong her perception of pageants was until she became a contestant. What she had originally thought was 鈥渏ust a show鈥� turned out to be a challenging and rewarding competition that found her interacting with some of the most intelligent people she鈥檚 ever met.
鈥淢y preconception of a beauty pageant was that it was just women going on stage and altering themselves to something society wanted them to be,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I quickly realized I was very wrong. It was nothing like I thought it would be. It鈥檚 hard work, and it鈥檚 fun and exciting, but it鈥檚 definitely different than what I expected.鈥�
What surprised Castorena was the versatility of the contestants, who strove to 鈥渃onstantly improve themselves both physically and mentally.鈥�
鈥淭hese women are dedicated to their philanthropies and give everything they have on that stage,鈥� Castorena said. 鈥淭o them, it鈥檚 more than just a crown. It鈥檚 a realization that success is when preparation meets opportunity.鈥�
Castorena was also surprised by the amount of work required to be a contestant in the pageant. From researching interview questions to picking out a dress to wear, the competition required months of preparation. But for Castorena, the reward made it all worth it.
鈥淚t took a good two months to prepare,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have to put so much effort into it, but the reward, even if you don鈥檛 win, is still great.鈥�
Sherry Card of Fort Smith, director of campus and community events, agreed.
鈥淚 tell them all that it鈥檚 a life experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 honestly believe that they become more confident well-rounded young women for having been a part of the Miss 91自拍 experience.鈥�
Card said that the contestants gain valuable skills in the pageant, while also forming bonds with fellow contestants.
鈥淭hey get to work on their interview skills, hone their talents, and make new friends, oftentimes forming lifelong friendships,鈥� she said. 鈥淥f course, the best part is the cash and scholarship awards.鈥�
Thanks to the work of Stacey Jones, the associate vice chancellor of campus and community events and the originator of the Miss 91自拍 Scholarship Pageant, the pageant awarded over $22,000 in cash and scholarship awards last year.
While Castorena planned to only take part in the 2012 pageant, she enjoyed it so much that she participated in the 2013 pageant and plans to compete again in 2014.
鈥淚 did this because it鈥檚 on my bucket list, so I didn鈥檛 think I would do it twice, let alone participate in it for a third time,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tephanie London, my big sister assigned for Miss 91自拍, has been through this endeavor with me since day one. We decided it would be a great adventure to go through it one last time.鈥�
In addition to the pageant, the Princess Program has also set an application deadline of Jan. 30. Girls ages 5-10 can participate in the program, which costs $100 per child. Girls receive a tiara, tickets to a tea party, a T-shirt, goodie bag, two tickets to the Miss 91自拍 Scholarship Pageant and a group photo with Miss 91自拍 and Miss Arkansas.
Miss 91自拍 application forms are available at . For more information, contact Card by telephone at 479-788-7301 or by email at sherry.card@uafs.edu. Registration forms for the Princess Program are available by contacting Angela Lamon at 479-788-7788.
Tickets for the Miss 91自拍 Scholarship Pageant, which will be held on March 1 at 7 p.m., are $10 and available online at or at the 91自拍 Box Office located in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center.