Amy Brady wins Miss Georgia United States

By Jim Zachary

McDONOUGH —Henry County’s Amy Brady is on her way — on her way to Washington D.C., that is, to represent the state of Georgia in the Miss United States Pageant. The Henry County High School teacher was crowned Miss Georgia United States in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Saturday, and will advance to the national pageant in July.

The popular teacher is already beginning her reign in support of Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society as part of a national partnership between Miss United States and the ACS. Brady is assembling a team for the local Relay for Life event to be held at her Alma mater, Union Grove High School, May 2.

In addition to serving as an ambassador for Relay For Life, Brady’s own platform during her reign is “Build Them Strong, Build Them Brave.” She explained, “This program hits home for me as an educator, because it focuses on building healthy relationships and a healthy self-esteem for young girls.” After the fact she won the title finally sank in, Brady took time to reflect on the momentous event.

She told the Henry Daily Herald, “Being Miss Georgia is something I’ve wanted since I was 4 years old. I remember every year, watching the national pageant and being in complete awe of how beautiful they were. At 4 you see the glamour and it’s only later you see how beautiful they are not just on the outside, but on the inside as well.” Brady graduated from Union Grove High in 2006, then went on to Kennesaw State University where she majored in secondary history education. She returned to Henry County in 2011 beginning her career as an educator at HCHS, where she teaches world history, social studies and is the student council advisor. When not teaching, working out, running or preparing for a pageant, Brady said she loves cooking, painting, writing and enjoying time outdoors. She also appears as a recurring guest anchor on the local newscast,Henry Herald Today on SCB-TV Channel 15.

In 2012, Brady went to Albania with Glen Haven Baptist Church where she had the opportunity to mentor teenagers who were orphans. She looks forward to returning to Albania for an extended stay with hopes of building upon the relationships that she fostered last year. She competed in Miss Georgia U.S.A in 2012, 2013, 2014, winning Miss Photogenic twice. Ultimately her childhood dream became a reality, winning the Miss Georgia United States title this past weekend. “Georgia is my home, where I was born, its my first love. I couldn’t imagine going to Miss United States representing any other state,” she said.

5 Tips to Increase Your Pageant Swimsuit Score

by Allison Goodwin (source: The Pageant Planet)

Swimsuit scores are a composite of many things. Swimsuit scores are not only based on your body, but they are based on your beauty and the confidence you have while on the stage. So what can you do to put everything together and have an above average swimsuit score?

5. Hair/ makeup: In swimsuit it is great to have a sexy look, as you are a girl in a swimsuit in a beauty pageant after all. I think that big hair scores best with swimsuit. I know a pony tail is more realistic of how you would have it styled in a swimsuit, but once again this is a beauty pageant. Makeup should be kept as natural looking as possible with your eye color, and make sure your eyes and lips pop.

4. Confidence: They always say confidence is key and that’s definitely the ticket to scoring well in swimsuit. Go out on the stage and show the judges how hard you worked to look as hot as you do in your swimsuit. Believe me, the judges can definitely see the confidence in your face, especially through your smile. Even if you are flexing super hard, don’t let them see it on your face. 

3. Shoes: As many of you may have seen in the Miss America pageant, there were some swimsuit shoes that were not pageant swimsuit shoes. They were unusual colors and had chunky heels. Pageant swimsuit shoes should be nude or have clear heels and on occasion, a gold shoe will work as well. The better the shoes blend in with your legs and skin tone, the longer it will make your legs look, because it does not cut off your leg line. Make sure the heel height is something you can walk in as well. You’re better off going with a three-and-a-half-inch heel and walking perfectly, than a five-inch heel and falling over on stage.

2. Abs: Everyone is striving for those six-pack abs. Well, let me tell you, they are hard to get! With a proper diet and fitness routine, they will take months to develop. Please do not wait until the week before a pageant and think they will magically appear. By having any sort of definition in your stomach, it shows the judges how hard you actually worked. We all know abs aren’t made overnight and it will show dedication and discipline.

1. Pageant swimsuit: Having the perfect swimsuit is essential. Whether you are going to wear a one-piece or two-piece, make sure the cut of the swimsuit is flattering to your body. The string bikinis from Target are great for the beach, but not for a pageant. There are so many pageant swimsuit designers out there that know how to make a swimsuit that is flattering on stage and will make you look amazing. Along with the cut and style of swimsuit, make sure you pick a color that really pops on you. I usually try and go for something that is the opposite color of my hair or skin, that way it can really stand out. Make sure to go with a natural color palette when choosing a color, just because a swimsuit is neon and stands out, doesn’t mean it’s the best choice.

I hope you find these tips helpful for the swimsuit portion of your next pageant. If you have any tips relating to mine, please comment below.

Miss USA and Miss Teen USA to present at the Shorty Awards!

Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady and Miss Teen USA 2013 Cassidy Wolf, presented New York Life’s #KeepGoodGoing award at the 6th Annual Shorty Awards this past Monday, April 7th in New York City.

Miss Universe 2014 Ma. Gabriela Isler in Manila

Check out these new photos of Miss Universe 2014 Gabriela Isler's recent visit to the Philippines!

GABRIELA ISLER’S ADVICE FOR ASPIRING QUEENS: BE ‘CONFIDENT’ AND ‘REAL’

MANILA, Philippines – Right when the Philippines was experiencing typhoon Yolanda in November 2013, Venezuela’s Gabriela Isler was crowned Ms Universe 2013 in Moscow, Russia.

Less than a year later, months into her reign as Ms Universe, Gabriela is visiting the Philippines not only to serve as one of the judges in the Bb Pilipinas coronation night on March 30, but also to raise awareness for rebuilding efforts in typhoon-hit areas.

This is in cooperation with Cordaid, a Dutch development agency that Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart told media was focused on the long-term, with several projects centered on women and children – also a key focal point of Gabriela’s projects as Ms Universe.

MISS UNIVERSE AND CORDAID JOIN FORCES TO HELP PHILIPPINES

The Miss Universe Organization and Cordaid join forces to “build back better” in the Philippines after devastation wrought by typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).

The Miss Universe Organization and Dutch development agency, Cordaid, have partnered to create a global fund that will raise awareness and money for regions of the Philippines struggling to recover in the wake of typhoon Haiyan, locally known as typhoon Yolanda. The two international organizations will call attention to the needs of projects that are essential for the country’s recovery long after the emergency relief period has ended.

“The Philippines is home to our biggest and most passionate fan base, which is so meaningful to the Miss Universe family,” explains Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization. “The country was hit by Yolanda the night before our 2013 Miss Universe telecast and together with Cordaid, we will raise awareness and funds for long term recovery aid to build, and rebuild, flourishing communities,” adds Shugart.
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5 Time-Tested Beauty Secrets from an Octogenarian Pageant Queen

by KRISTEN MASCIA

At the conclusion of the 2013 Ms. Senior Sweetheart Pageant, one of the country’s only beauty contests for ladies over 65, Rita Ann Battram, 86, doubted she’d won the crown. Although she nailed the talent competition with a dance routine that—hip replacement be darned—ended with a show-stopping straddle, then charmed the judges during the panel interview (“I might be blind in one eye and I don’t see well with the other, but I’m 86, and I’m going to keep going!” she said), when the emcee read aloud the names of the first few runners up, Battram’s wasn’t called. So when the emcee went on to announce that Battram had won, “my mouth dropped open,” says the great-grandmother of 26 from Kent, Wash. “I had tears, happy tears. I couldn’t believe it was true.”

For Battram and dozens of other silver-haired ladies from all over the country, competing in Fall River, Mass.’s annual Ms. Senior Sweetheart Pageant is a thrill beyond compare. In "Pretty Old", a new documentary available for streaming on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Direct TV and other platforms (see trailer below), filmmaker Walter Matteson went behind the scenes at the quirky competition to reveal just how talented and special Ms. Senior Sweetheart’s contestants are.Parade caught up with the reigning champ to find out how it felt to win, and how she stays beautiful—inside and out.

Congrats on the win! How does it feel?It’s awesome! My kids—I have five—they’re always saying “awesome.” I love it. I never thought I’d win. They gave me a beautiful tiara, just beautiful. I never thought I’d have one.

Did you think you had a good chance at becoming a finalist?The first time I was in the pageant, in 2008, I was so nervous. This time, I thought, “At my age, I’m not gonna make it!” so I relaxed, and that helped. After I won, I heard that the judges said my talent cinched it. I’ve danced all my life: I taught everything—tap, jazz, ballet, belly dancing—but my signature has always been my splits and my hula. Well, I had a hip replacement three years ago, so I thought, “What else can I do besides a split that no other 86-year-old can do?” So I sat down and put my legs out and touched my head to the floor. The judges got a kick out of that!

Ms. Senior Sweetheart’s 5 Time-Tested Beauty Tips:

1. Stay positiveThere have been a lot of trials and tribulations in my life, but I’ve always thought my glass was more than half full. I’m blind in one eye, and had a cornea transplant when I was 55 in the other. A year later, I could see 20/13. I was so grateful. I had a lot of faith that that would happen. I’ve always had a good outlook.

2. Keep movingI dance every day for about a half-hour, and at Radcliffe Place Senior Apartments, where I live, I teach ladies exercise—sit-down exercise. I choreograph shows for them, and we put on performances. Right now I’m planning one for Easter.

3. Take good care of your skin—and work those facial muscles!I used Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty line and had so many compliments from the gals at the pageant. They were all saying, “Have you had a facelift?” I said, “No, but thank you!” In the morning, before I put on my makeup, I also rub Neutrogena Body Oil and water on my face and neck. For my foundation I use Clinique. Heaven, I’ve been using it for 20 years! I also do facial exercises, just tightening, then relaxing, the muscles in my neck, cheeks and forehead.

4. Laugh as much as you canEvery day, for dinner, I sit at a table with six other women. These women are 98, 94, 88—I’m the youngest one! I tell them, “We’re the magnificent seven!” I think we could run the world together. You have a different attitude about life when you have good friends. We have a great time.

5. Spend time with a loving companionI lost my husband, Harry, recently. We would have been married 45 years next month, but it was a blessing: He had Parkinson’s and dementia and was in a lot of pain. He used to be an excellent softball player. When we moved from Michigan, we gave away over 200 of his trophies. He was a pitcher and was on all these teams and won all sorts of awards and traveled to many tournaments. He always encouraged my dancing, and I always encouraged his softball. He wanted me to win Ms. Senior Sweetheart so bad over the years. He was the first thing I thought of when I won. Now, I feel his presence real strong. I think he’s looking down on me.

Former Miss Universe gets bloody, hog-tied to spotlight socialist Maduro’s violence

By Douglas Ernst

She won Miss Venezuela in 2008 and Miss Universe 2009, and now she’s winning the hearts and minds of Venezuelan protesters standing in opposition to socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Stefania Fernandez Krupij’s beautiful visage has been turned into a bloody, hog-tied and disheveled version of her former self for a social media campaign aimed at spotlighting the Maduro regime’s violent crackdown on opposition protesters.

Clashes between the socialist president’s forces and opposition protesters in Venezuela have been going on for weeks in reaction to high inflation, shortages of basic goods and an anemic economy. Since opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was taken into custody Feb. 18 on terrorism charges, clashes with the socialist regime have resulted in numerous deaths, one opposition mayor arrested and another jailed for the next 10 months. On Tuesday, three members of the Venezuelan Air Force were arrested for conspiring against the government, Business Insider reported.

Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez condemned the “shameful silence” of leaders from across Latin America toward human rights abuses being carried by “paramilitary groups” loyal to Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro. “The [Organization of American States], which represents nations in the Western Hemisphere, has abstained from any real leadership on the current crisis of human rights and the looming specter of a failed state, even though it was formed precisely to address issues like these,” Mr. Lopez wrote in an op-ed published in Tuesday’s New York Times.

MISS USA 2014 Headshots Are Up!

 

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"Don't Judge Me Because I Judged a Beauty Pageant: Myth-Busting the Pageant World"

by Karen S. Exkorn 

Best-selling author/corporate training consultant

I was asked to judge a beauty pageant. Actually, it was Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen Pageant (you'll note that the word "beauty" is no longer included in the title). My first response was... really? It's 2014. Isn't this concept a bit dated, not to mention anti-feminist? My second response was... why me? I'd never been in a beauty pageant, and the only contest I'd ever participated in was the Teen Miss Dance of New England competition in the mid-1970s. I assumed no one really remembered that except for my parents and my former dance teacher, Charlotte Klein, from my days growing up in Worcester, Massachusetts.

When I received the phone call asking me to be a judge, I thought that maybe it was meant for someone else. It was not. Apparently, a producer of one of the major TV networks had recommended me because of my consulting work as a presentation skills and media coach. So, in the spirit of trying new things, I decided to go for it.

What I'd assumed was going to be an exercise in mindless frivolity turned out to be serious business. I was surprised at the level of professionalism that went into the preparation for this pageant. These young women aged 13-17 were required to create extensive bios, hone their talents, and then engage in rigorous individual interviews before appearing onstage to perform in front of hundreds.

So much for my preconceived notion that pageantry was anti-feminist. In fact, it seemed to be quite the opposite. These young women were developing life skills that would serve them well as they entered their professional lives, whether in business, arts, technology or academics.

Let me share with you some of the general misconceptions about pageants that were shattered during my day as a pageant judge.

Myths of Teen (Beauty) Pageants:

1. Pageants are for the pretty but not-so-smart.

Yes, the winner of Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen Pageant 2014 is pretty, andshe plans to attend M.I.T. She also promotes a program called STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) to encourage young women to enter fields that are typically dominated by men.

2. Pageants promote eating disorders.

It was made clear to both the contestants and judges that Miss New Jersey's Outstanding Teen would need to be a role model for a healthy, strong body. Instead of stick-thin contestants parading around the stage in bathing suits, these teens each jogged onto the stage in work-out clothes that consisted of a t-shirt and shorts, and had to demonstrate their fitness level by performing a routine that included aerobics, sit-ups and push-ups.

3. Pageants are just so shallow.

Contestants were required to have a "platform" that demonstrated their commitment to community service. Each chose a cause that she felt personally connected to; one had a sister with autism, another had family members with skin cancer, others took on bullying and teen drinking. These young women organized walkathons, community gatherings, and school awareness programs to promote their causes.

4. There are no real world skills that can be learned from being a pageant contestant.

When was the last time you had to stand up in front of seven judges and answer a barrage of questions ranging from your future goals to your thoughts on political matters such as the controversial lane closures on the George Washington Bridge? (This was New Jersey, after all...). These teens had to demonstrate their ability to think on their feet and present their thoughts in an articulate and concise manner. They also exhibited self-motivation, determination, organizational skills, and public speaking skills.

5. Pageants are anti-feminist.

In addition to offering significant life skills to young women, Miss America's Outstanding Teen Inc. is one of the top scholarship providers for young teens in the United States. Founded in 2005 with a strong commitment to higher education, they have made available approximately $5,000,000 in cash and in-kind scholarships that have allowed pageant winners to attend such prestigious schools as Harvard University, Brown University, Cornell University, and more.

6. Pageant winners don't go on to be successful in life.

Really? Tell that to Oprah Winfrey (Miss Black Tennessee 1986), Halle Berry (Miss Ohio USA 1986), Sharon Stone (Miss Crawford County 1976), Michelle Pfeffier (Miss Orange County 1978), Vanessa Williams (Miss America 1984), and Diane Sawyer (American's Junior Miss 1963).

So the next time you judge a pageant, even if it's as you're sitting on your sofa in your living room watching TV, think twice before you judge too harshly.

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Miss Teen USA hacker jailed for 18 months

Source: BBC News

An American teenager who blackmailed young women with compromising images grabbed by hacking their webcams has been jailed for 18 months.

Jared James Abrahams broke into about 150 online accounts over a two-year period to commit the crimes. More than two dozen women in the US, Ireland and other nations had their computers hacked by Abrahams.

One victim was Miss Teen USA 2013 beauty contest winner - Cassidy Wolf. Abrahams was arrested in early 2013 and pleaded guilty to one count of computer hacking and three of extortion in November.

In a statement about the sentencing, the US Department of Justice said Abrahams had targeted women he had known personally or found by hacking their Facebook pages. Abrahams took over email, social media accounts and computers and used this access to remotely turn on the machine and grab pictures when his victims were naked.

Abrahams had then extorted cash from victims by threatening to publicly post nude photos and videos, said the DoJ in a statement about the sentencing. "As digital devices, email accounts, and social media accounts now contain the most intimate details of the public's daily lives, the impact of this type of hacking and extortion becomes more pronounced, troubling, and far-reaching," wrote DoJ prosecutors in a document filed in advance of the sentencing hearing. "In some cases, this type of criminal behaviour can be life-changing for the victims - especially for vulnerable victims who may feel it is impossible to rebuild their tarnished reputations," said the document. 

People should be careful where they posted images and videos to avoid becoming a victim of extortion and escape the risk of compromising content being stolen, said the DoJ. In addition, it said, people should choose hard-to-guess passwords, keep security software updated and avoid opening unexpected attachments. Lastly, it said, people should keep webcams covered when they are not in use.

What's it like to be a pageant winner from Central Minnesota?

by Frank Lee

Kimberly Stommes knows what it’s like to win with a wave and a smile. Competing in her fourth pageant, the 26-year-old wife and mother from St. Cloud was crowned Mrs. Minnesota 2014 at the March 8 competition hosted by St. Cloud State University. “It’s a really great experience,” said Stommes, who will represent Minnesota at the 2014 Mrs. International pageant in July in Jacksonville, Fla. The Sartell High School graduate began competing when she was a teenager and was named Miss Minnesota Teen in the 2005 National American Miss pageant.

“Some people may have an idea of pageant stereotypes, but I have really made long-lasting friendships through the pageants I have done,” she said. “I think a lot of people assume that a pageant is all about beauty, and that you need to be thin and gorgeous to do a pageant and to win a pageant.” Stommes recently graduated from the University of St. Thomas School of Law and was admitted into the Minnesota State Bar Association. “A pageant really gives you a sense of confidence and a sense of getting to know who you are as an individual,” said Stommes, a judicial law clerk. Stommes is an avid volunteer with the American Diabetes Association and Sauk Rapids Riverside Lions Club. She began volunteering at a young age as a pageant contestant.

“Competing in pageants really made me want to be a better person, not only academically but also in the community,” she said. The Mrs. International pageant system recognizes women “for their commitment to family, profession and community stewardship,” according to a news release. “The beautiful thing about the International system is that they really are looking for women that are intelligent and involved in the community,” Stommes said. “The women that are competing are really being an advocate for something, and so for me, I’m an advocate for diabetes because my father has diabetes.” Stommes is a treasurer in the Lions Club, and also first vice president, when she isn’t doing special presentations and assisting with civic and nonprofit projects. “I think as a pageant contestant, there can be a lot of pressure involved to be well-rounded and to be smart but also physically fit and healthy, and I think I deal with those pressures by just being who I am,” she said.