GRAVETTE -- When Shannon McKnight heard she had been recommended to participate in a pageant last year, she thought it sounded like something she could do. She was right. Less than a year later, McKnight, who lives in the Highlands of Bella Vista, is now National Junior Ambassador Teen.
For her first pageant at the state level, she needed only one dress and the T-shirt provided by the company. But when she competed in Florida for the national title, she shipped her clothes there separately because there were too many to pack.
She brought an evening gown and three or four backup gowns, as well as several other categories of clothing. She and her parents spent 10 days in the Tampa area this summer for the competition.
"It's not just dress up and walk on stage," her father, Robert McKnight, explained. "It's helped her gain confidence."
She chose to compete in most of the optional categories, including talent. For the talent portion, she performed a jazz dance that her interview coach choreographed. She learned it in about five one-hour sessions, which is remarkable since she had only a little bit of prior dance experience. She just wanted to prove to herself that she could do it.
The other optional categories included two submitted photograph categories -- one glamour and one natural; a runway modeling competition; and a fitness competition, where the contestants wore bathing suits.
Although there was some stress during the competition, it wasn't as bad as she expected. The pageant organizers made it fun, she explained. Even the interview turned out to be less nerve wracking than she expected, although it made up 35 percent of her final score.
While they were in Tampa, each contestant participated in a charity ball and live auction that were fundraisers for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The pageant system supports Big Brothers and Big Sisters, she said.
She was required to do some of her own fundraising to get to Tampa. She participated in an fundraising event in Conway where she spent a good part of her summer working with the state director for the Ambassador pageant. At home, she organized a dessert and dance evening to raise funds.
The pageant is all about SLICC, she said, which stands for Success Through Leadership with Integrity, Character and Confidence. She must embody SLICC in everyday life, she explained.
"I need to be a good role model who anyone can look up to," she said.
As queen, she is expected to do at least two charity events each month, she said. For this month, one will be a fashion show fundraiser in Conway and the second was working at the Soldier On Service Dog booth at Slide the City in Fayetteville last weekend.
It's easy to find the events, she said. She looks for them online and volunteers.
Already scheduled are appearances in Tampa, Washington, D.C., and Boston.
Aside from her new responsibilities, McKnight was already a busy teen-ager. She's a senior at Gravette High School where she plays volleyball and works as stage manager for all the school plays.
"I'm better at bossing than acting," she explained about her behind-the-scenes work.
She travels with both the football team and the basketball team and "live streams" the games for the school television station, where she also anchors the weekly show. As anchor, she spends time everyday writing scripts.
She also has a paid job at Mary's Menagerie, a dog daycare center.
Although she's not sure where she wants to go to college, she knows she wants to major in business and someday own her own business -- a formal wear store. Eventually, she's like to own a national chain of formal wear stores.
And she's probably not finished competing. Although, as the title holder, she can't participate in any other pageants until May. The ultimate goal? Miss U.S.A.
The pageants will open doors, Robert McKnight predicted. He doesn't mind the expense of the clothes and the trips.
"You only live once," he said, "You give your children the best opportunities you can."
General News on 09/02/2015