By Maddie Yerant
The next Miss Fall Festival Outstanding Teen will soon be crowned and contestants have until Sept. 11 to enter the annual pageant.
The pageant was traditionally part of the Zionsville Lions Club Fall Festival, but organizers have scheduled it for 3 p.m. Sept. 20 at Town Hall to be able to hold it indoors and give more members of the club a chance to see the event.
Boone County girls from age 13 to 17 will compete in interview, talent, lifestyle and fitness and evening gown for prizes such as a $500 scholarship and $750 package from Indy Laser. The winner will also have the opportunity to compete in the Miss Indiana Outstanding Teen pageant, where 2015 winner Gracen Stanczykiewicz placed in the top 10.
Louanne Giralte, director of the local pageant, said the event, which is a part of the Miss America organization, is a great opportunity for girls to break out of their shells, gain valuable experience and make new friends.
“It’s just something that really puts you out of your comfort zone, but you’re so glad you did it,” Giralte said. “It’s nothing but a positive experience.”
There is no entry fee to compete, Giralte said, to encourage first-timers to enter the pageant.
“We want girls to really put themselves out there and try something new, especially if they’ve never done (a pageant) before,” she said.
As director, Giralte said she has seen firsthand how girls grow through their involvement with Miss Fall Festival.
“I’ve seen girls start out doing this very young and I’ve seen them over the course of three or four years and they’re completely different girls,” Giralte said. “They were shy and kind of quiet and now these girls speak so loudly and clearly and (they’re) not afraid. It’s just a great experience.”
For more information, including how to register, email Giralte at [email protected].
