10/05/2016
Even if you don't feel "state" or "stage" ready don't pass up an opportunity to get some experience on the stage and in interview. It's not about winning on your first try or who else is competing. I assure you, the girls who are serious about being the next Miss WV haven't given you a second thought because they're too busy building their platform and prepping for state. They work year-round. Do you?
Ask for help. I am offering to review paperwork and platform plans for FREE. I will help you draft your paperwork, help you develop your understanding of or your position on policy or current events. I can help you with talent. I know MAO folks all over the country and they will be happy to do me a favor and review a song or idea. I am a volunteer, and I'm not the only one, yet we are rarely consulted when most of us have been to the national stage and know a couple things about what works. Use your resources!
Locals teach you how to improve. The journey to Miss WV is about taking each opportunity as a learning experience and improving yourself and your platform's impact. I would rather learn at the local level that my knowledge of current events is weak or my platform lacks key development than find out at the state level. That feedback and prep time could make the difference and send you to Miss America. This is not just a beauty/talent pageant. In the last three years, our strongest interviewers went the furthest in competition, passing girls with excellent talents, swimsuit and gown scores. Strong interviews correlate to a wide knowledge base, developed platform and relatability. That means more than just having a platform you did some work on a month out or that you read some newspapers or that you know how to smile pretty. It takes work to have a viable platform and strong interview.
If I were as committed to this goal as so many claim, I'd be at every local until I won. The interview time, stage time and ability to try different songs, dances or monologues are INVALUABLE. I'd be loud and proud in every step I took toward my goal. I'd post about the work I was doing and the advancements I've made in my platform. You'd see cheesy post-workout gym photos and selfies with school kids. You'd be motivated to follow me and I'd welcome the company. This is a sisterhood, after all. You can't just show up and hope to get lucky. You can't hope that you can embellish enough to look active and like you have plans. That's lying. If that's the kind of contestant you are, then what kind of titleholder should I expect? You don't start working after you win. You keep building the foundation over months and years and then you sell it to me so I see you as the only choice.
If you could compete at any of the upcoming locals but are "waiting until the next one" then I wonder if you're really committed to working harder than you want it. This is more than a title. It's a job. It's not just a school tour or a few parades. You're a walking billboard for the WVSO, WV and your platform. You're our most promising promotional and recruitment tool. We need someone who is qualified to fill that position and in return you're going to get to experience the most amazing year of your life so far. Your work ethic now impacts your performance at Miss WV and certainly will be evident at Miss America and throughout your reign.
You have unlimited potential as Miss WV- are you prepared to make the most of that? If you haven't thought beyond crowning night you better start now. Only the girl who has a plan that includes the other 364 days is the girl I want as my Miss WV. Do you have that kind of plan or do you just want to win?
