Sunday, November 01, 2009
The fifth annual Miss Black Ark-La-Tex Scholarship Pageant recently kicked off its season that offers scholarship opportunities for young women of color ages 13 to 26.
The Teen Division is for ages 13 to 17 and the Miss Division is for ages 18 to 26.
 Courtesy Photo |
| Miss Black Ark-La-Tex committee members from left, are Shirley Davis, Lashondra Manning, Executive Director Andrea Wright-Singleton, Regina Horton, Leomyra Frye and Dr. Jennifer Jackson. The pageant is slated for Jan. 8 to 10, 2010. |
"We provide scholarships for both," said director Andrea Wright-Singleton, owner of Simple Elegance Inc. The winner of the Teen Division receives a $1,000 scholarship and the winner of the Miss Division is awarded a $1,5000 scholarship.
Participants who live or work in Arkansas, Louisiana or Texas can compete. Pageant experience is not required, Ms. Wright-Singleton said.
"The last couple of queens haven't been in pageants ever," she said, expounding contestants will be trained during the pageant weekend, slated Jan. 8-10, 2010.
Ms. Wright-Singleton, a 1999 Marshall High School graduate and former Miss Black Teen Texas and first runner-up in the national Miss Black USA Metroplex Pageant, created the pageant to help young women build self-esteem and focus on their inner beauty.
The Texas Woman's University alumna currently lives in Fort Worth, but wanted to bring the pageant to her hometown.
"I want to expand opportunities to young ladies," she said. "Not often is that brought to Marshall."
According to the pageant's Web site, http://missblackarklatex.page.tl, the goals of thepageant are to promote academic success, provide scholarships to support the academic endeavors of young African-American women, to showcase the talents of young ladies in a pageant format, and to introduce the pageant contestants to an audience that extends beyond their own communities.
"A lot of people think it's a beauty pageant," the director said. "Miss Black Ark-La-Tex is by no means a beauty pageant.
"We teach them about inner beauty — what's on the inside. You can't win it by being cute."
During the pageant weekend participants will engage in activities, outings and training workshops on self-esteem, beauty etiquette, modeling and interview prep classes. The weekend will culminate with the pageant on Jan. 10 at Marshall Civic Center.
"They do talent, impromptu questions, evening gown (modeling)...It's worth it," Miss Wright-Singleton added.
Applications are being accepted through Dec. 5. The application fee is $50. The entry fee is $200, which covers the cost of hotel and accommodations for the pageant weekend.
"We need sponsors and contestants," Ms. Wright-Singleton said. "Without girls and funding, there is no pageant."
The queen will have to maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average throughout her reign. Applicants must be a natural-born female and single without children.
Last year, Bre'Anna Lee, a sophomore at LSU-Shreveport, was crowned Miss Black Ark-La-Tex 2009. Zakiyyah Willis, a freshman at Prairie View A&M University, won Miss Teen Black Ark-La-Tex 2009.
The director said this year, her goal is to have at least 15 participants and raise enough money to award the runners-up a scholarship.
"I try to add something new," Ms. Wright-Singleton said. "We need the community to come out and support these girls."
For more information on the scholarship program, call Andrea Wright-Singleton at 903-926-5510 or e-mail missblackarklatexpageant@yahoo.com.
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