Locals say pageant was a learning experience

Between preparing for her mission trip to Peru and attending Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) Kelsey Prince, 21, barely had time to compete in the Miss New Mexico Pageant.

The three-day pageant ended Saturday with the crowning of Miss New Mexico Marissa Livingston of Albuquerque.

Prince, who won Miss Blackwater Draw in the months prior, said she learned an abundance about the process of pageants. She said she was learning every moment about make-up, performing, and preparation.

The most important thing she learned was the falsehood of the negative stereotype sometimes associated with pageant girls, Prince said. She said pageant girls are often given the reputation of being superficial and catty.

“They were all so authentic, loving and supportive. It was a great environment to be in,” she said.

She said they all helped each other out back stage and encouraged each other.

Prince originally joined the pageants for the opportunity to earn scholarships and dance on a stage. Prince said that she has loved to dance since she was 3 and that is why she chose it as her talent.

link Staff photo: Joshua Lucero Amelia Legler, 17, sings “Sebben Crudele” Saturday for the talent portion of the Miss New Mexico Outstanding Teen competition. Legler won fourth runner up in the overall competition.

Alexa Vigil, 20, also chose dancing as her talent, performing a contemporary piece to a cover of “Imagine” by John Lennon.

She said that she has been dancing since she was 5 and it is her passion.

“The song and dance meant so much to me that I got emotional during my performance,” Vigil said.

Prince tried to connect her dance to her platform, Arise Sexual Assault Awareness. She danced to “Human” by Christina Perri.

Prince said her platform is special to her because she can identify with it.

“My platform is relatable because I am in college where events like that are prevalent,” she said.

Olivia Austin, 16, chose her platform for the Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen competition because it was personal.

Austin’s platform was organ donation. She said her father got sick a few years ago and was in need of a kidney transplant. He was able to survive so she wants to make sure that other people can experience the same thing, she said.

“I want to spread the word and let people know how easy it is to sign up as an organ donor and how many people need donations,” she said.

Austin danced as her talent as well. While dabbling in jazz and tap earlier in her life, Austin chose to perform ballet to the song

“Angels on the Moon” by Thriving Ivory.

For all three Portales participants, the dance was the easier and more fun part of the pageant.

Austin said the tough part of the pageant was overcoming her nerves in the interview. She said she practiced being in front of people and being professional but that did not fully prepare her.

“I practiced a lot but it just isn’t the same in the end,” she said.

Amelia Legler, 17, struggled the most with the talent portion of the Miss New Mexico’s Outstanding Teen competition. Legler sang an opera song entitled “Sebben Crudele” for her talent. She said the hardest part was sifting through all the songs and genres and deciding to sing opera.

Legler’s sister jokingly suggested the song to replace the Beyonce song that Legler had originally decided to sing. After a test run, using a lamp as a microphone and her family as an audience, Legler said she settled on the new song.

“I wanted to change it up a little bit,” Legler said.

Legler finished as fourth runner up. She said that it was nice to be rewarded for the effort she put in.

“It was my first year doing something like this and I worked really hard,” Legler said.