2015-2016 Miss Mississippi Local Pageant Contestant Checklist Contestant: Date of Birth: (You must be between 17 and 24 at the state pageant, must have finished your senior year of High School by summer 2016, and still be 24 on December 31, 2016.) 1 COMPLETED Local Pageant Application, Signed by Contestant and Parent 1 COMPLETED Local Pageant Contestant Contract and Scholarship Rules, Signed by Contestant and Parent 1 COMPLETED Fact Sheet Copy of Birth Certificate EITHER 1 Proof of Residence-This can be your parent s utility bill, a copy of your driver s license or your parent s driver s license. OR 1 Certified Letter by Educational Institution you attend. 1 COMPLETED Emcee Form Talent Music (if any) on CD only! 1:30 or less in length. Please submit 2 CDs at rehearsal. 1 5 x7 Color Picture, this will be used on the website, in the program, and for the Judges Books. Please email photo to local director of the pageant you are entering. 1 COMPLETED Community Service Questionnaire 1 COMPLETED Personal Data Sheet 1 COMPLETED Platform Sheet 1 COMPLETED Talent Form $100 Children s Miracle Network CONFIRMATION print out. Return all of the items on the list to the local director for the pageant you are entering. You should keep the contract copies for your reference and you should KNOW everything that is contained on your FACT SHEET and PLATFORM ESSAY. A copy of your FACT SHEET and PLATFORM ESSAY will be given to each judge and he or she will prepare interview questions from this information.
APPLICATION PACKET INTSTRUCTIONS All forms MUST be typed 1. Local Contract *Click to download the local contestant contract on the How to Compete page of our website* A parent or legal guardian must sign this contract. We would recommend that all contestants read the local contract and have your parent or legal guardian read it as well. 2. Copy of Birth Certificate You must include a copy of your birth certificate to verify your age. 3. 1 COPY OF FACT SHEET. The copies will be given directly to the judges as you provide it to us. No changes will be made to the FACT SHEET you turn in. The FACT SHEET must be typed. 4. 1 COPY PLATFORM QUESTIONNAIRE the Miss America Organization, the Miss Mississippi system, and Local Pageants encourage the young women who participate in the program to become involved in the community, to develop a Platform, and to speak out on issues of concern to them, their communities, and to the nation. If you are selected as a local titleholder, you should have an issue to focus on during your Year of Service. Your Platform Questionnaire can be no longer than one page and must be typed. 5. Proof of Residence To compete in this pageant, you must have either: A. Lived in the state of Mississippi for at least six months prior to your entry into the pageant; OR B. Must be presently enrolled AND be attending classes on a full-time basis at school in one of the counties listed above for the local title or any school in MS for the open title; You must be able to PROVE your residency with ONE of the following: Driver s license, automobile registration, current lease, or other official document that establishes residency for six months prior to the date of the pageant. You may be asked to provide additional proof if you are selected as one of our local titleholders. Do not complete the Contestant # on any of the forms included. Contestant number/competition order will be drawn by pageant committee in advance for production/printing purposes. 6. 1 COMPLETED EMCEE FORM & 1 COMPLETED TALENT FORM No talent is allowed to repeat during the competition. The first contestant with completed application requesting a specific song will reserve that song for competition. In case of duplication, the second contestant will be notified that a different selection must be made. The only exception to this rule: A singer can sing the same song that a dancer is dancing to. Example: A singer can sing River Deep, Mountain High and a dancer is allowed to dance to the same song. We will make every effort to separate these talents in the lineup, but that cannot be guaranteed. For evening gown and swimsuit, please make every effort to list these as you would like them read on stage!
7. Picture You must send a 5 x7 COLOR picture with your completed application. Professional pictures are preferred. You should place a sticker with your name on the back of the picture if it is mailed. This picture will be used for the program book, judge s book, and the website. 8. Community Service Questionnaire Please complete the community service questionnaire information accurately. This information must be reported to the Miss Mississippi organization and to the Miss America Organization. 9. All CMN monies must be submitted no later than the day of the local pageant, proof of payment must be provided to the local director.
PERSONAL DATA SHEET Name: Email Address: Mailing Address: Home Phone: Cell Phone: School: Platform: Date of Birth: Age Talent :( vocal, dance, piano, etc...) Title of Song (if applicable): Mother s Name and Cell Number: Father s Name and Cell Number: Mother s E-mail address: Father s E-mail address:
CONTESTANT FACT SHEET Name: Date of Birth: Hometown: High School: College: Age: Home State: Year Graduated: Year Graduated: Major: Scholastic/Career Ambition: Accomplishments: Leadership Roles: Interesting Facts: Employment: Talent: How has the world you come from shaped your dreams and aspirations? What social issue, other than your platform, will have the greatest impact on your generation and why? Why should I be selected as the winner of this local pageant?
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TYPING THE PLATFORM ISSUE STATEMENT Please remember. This is your opportunity to explain to the judges what your chosen platform is and why it is important for the local pageants to embrace this platform. In addition, it should explain how your platform will further the Miss local pageants and the Miss Mississippi Pageant brand to the public. This ONE (1) page, single-spaced document combined with the Contestant s Resume, will comprise your entire application for this job.. The judges will receive exactly what is submitted. Any items, which do not meet the criteria or are submitted after the deadline, will not be given to the judges. The contestant may explain the lack of judging materials during her interview, if she so chooses. 1. Go to the word processing program of your computer. 2. Start a new document. 3. Set margins for 1" on all four sides. The font style may not be any smaller than 10 and no larger than 12 point type using the Times New Roman font style. 4. With the justification set for left, type Name: in bold. Following the colon (:), hit the space bar twice. Then, type your name. 5. Then, move to the next line and type Title: in bold. Following the colon (:), hit the space bar twice. Then, type Your state title. 6. Double space down. Set your justification to center. Then type in bold and underline the title of your Platform. 7. Double space down. Write what you feel is critical for the judge s to know about your platform and why it is necessary for you to have the job of Miss Tennessee to promote this issue. What you write will be what the judges know about your platform, your role in successfully dealing with this issue, and the role the Miss Tennessee Organization may play in your plan. 8. This essay may include some of the following items (this is not to be meant as an exhaustive list): A clear definition of the platform and the specific issues you wish to address A plan on how you have or will create awareness of the platform The way in which you have or will change attitudes regarding the issue The way in which you have or will change behaviors related to this issue The way in which your platform issue will move the Miss Tennessee Organization forward Your media plans Your marketing strategy How you propose to fund your ideas/plans Any significant accomplishments you have made in regard to your issue
PLATFORM SAMPLE Name: Jane Doe Title: Miss Local Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Inclusiveness It is imperative that this nation face and embrace its cultural diversity. While many people have talked about this issue, I believe that most of them have only paid lip service to the true necessity of what needs to be addressed related to this issue. There is a false truth in merely accepting and tolerating cultural diversity. I intend to prove that in order to accept and understand people of other cultures; one must be willing to step out of a personal cultural comfort zone and identify the origin of their prejudice. I will specifically focus on three areas: Children, Communities, and Businesses. The title of Miss America, combined with the national media already looking at the surface of this issue, will allow me to create the national awareness that must exist. Currently, the term Cultural Diversity is well known in the halls of institutions of higher learner and, perhaps, even in the public school classroom because of the need for some to be politically correct. But, in order for us to make a true change in attitudes and behaviors of Americans, we must move beyond talk and into action and policy changes. My plan is to motivate the media and to partner with the National Conference for Community and Justice. This organization has chapters in every major city in the nation and, in many cases, those chapters have community leaders involved who can, with encouragement and challenging, bring this issue out of hiding and into the public light in each of those communities. Obviously the media and the NCCJ already exist. However, what is lacking is a lightning rod to draw attention to this issue. This is where the Miss America Organization steps into the lead. What better role is there for Miss America than to be an agent of change in organizing our nation to accept our differences and to create an environment that values each person on individual characteristics rather than on stereotypes or assumptions? For years, Miss America was seen as a young woman who cut ribbons and appeared in parades. It is time for Miss America to step out of the convertible and lead the parade. Our country s ethnic make-up is changing rapidly and our citizen s fear of terrorism can explode already existing, but deeply hidden prejudices. I want to be the leader that this nation needs. This nation needs this issue addressed now and through the already existing NCCJ and its local and state organizations combined with the power of Miss America, we can make a concrete difference now, which will change the direction and the future of our nation. Signature/Date
MISS MISSISSIPPI LOCAL PRELIMINARY COMMUNITY SERVICE QUESTIONAIRE PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONAIRE AND RETURN IT TO THE PAGEANT DIRECTORS WITH YOUR APPLICATION PACKET. Name: Title of Platform: Number of Hours Spent Promoting Platform: Amount of Money You Have Raised: Number of People Who Have Been Directly Impacted By Your Efforts:
MISS ON STAGE INTRODUCTIONS SUBMIT VIA EMAIL ONLY! This information is to be read during each phase of Competition while you are on stage. (We reserve the right to alter descriptions only when necessary for appropriateness, to ensure clarity, for among contestants or to accommodate time constraints.) Your Name as you want it announced for competition: Please write your name phonetically: Talent (Not to exceed 90 seconds in performance length) Please include type of talent, the author, composer or performer associated with recognition of it, any information concerning the number of years of study or other pertinent information Type Here:
TALENT INFORMATION SHEET NAME CONTESTANT # (pageant will assign) 1. Type of talent that you will present (dance, sing, piano, drama, etc.): 2. Title of Selection: 3. Composer or Author: 4. Will you use an accompaniment track on CD? (Please bring two (2) CDs to rehearsal on Saturday morning.) 5. Type of microphone that you will need for your talent (headset, Handheld/cordless, stand microphone, microphone for instrument): Contestant Name Email Address Cell Phone Number