Savannah Gutierrez of Artesia was recently selected to participate in the 2016 Miss Junior Teen pageant, taking place Sunday, July 24.
“I’m so excited to be competing in my first pageant,” said Gutierrez. “I’ve never done this before, but I’m happy to start preparing for it.”
Gutierrez learned of her acceptance into this year’s competition when the pageant announced their selections following interviews in the Roswell area. Gutierrez submitted an application and participated in her interview session, conducted by this year’s Roswell pageant coordinator.
“I’m really happy that I got to be a part of this and that I’m able to compete,” said Gutierrez. “I’ve always liked the pretty dresses the girls wear and the idea of walking on the stage in front of people.”
Gutierrez will compete for monetary prizes and specialty gifts distributed to contestants. Of the two age divisions, which include young women between the ages of 7 and 20, she will compete in the Miss Junior Teen division. In each of these divisions, contestants compete in modeling routines, including casual wear and formal wear.
Gutierrez has already started planning her outfit for the casual wear portion of the competition.
“I think I’m going to wear a pink shirt, a jean jacket, and some skinny jeans,” she said.
Most importantly, she will display her personality while interviewing with this year’s judging panel. In each phase of the competition, the panel uses personality as the number-one criteria for judging.
If she were to win the title of Miss Junior Teen, Gutierrez would represent Roswell and the surrounding communities at the National Pageant taking place in Orlando, Fla. Each winner receives an all-expense-paid trip to Orlando for six days and five nights. At the National Pageant, contestants from around the nation compete for their share of more than $30,000 in prizes.
Community businesses, organizations, and private individuals are assisting Gutierrez in participating in this year’s competition by becoming official sponsors. Through sponsorship, each contestant receives all the necessary training, rehearsals, and financial support, which will allow her to gain confidence and preparedness for this year’s preliminary pageant.
Any businesses, organizations, or private individuals interested in becoming a sponsor for Gutierrez may contact the Miss Junior Teen Roswell pageant coordinator at 877-910-4190.