MORAN — While there are plenty of pageants that emphasize outward appearances, Saturday’s Little Miss Moran pageant stressed the beauty on the inside.
“There is more to this than ‘Toddlers and Tiaras,’” said Kim Cochran, in reference to the TV reality series that looks at the extent some families go to prepare young girls for beauty pageants.
Cochran’s daughter, Hanna Hoffman, a pageant vet herself at the ripe age of 16, organized Saturday’s activities, hosting a dozen girls ages 5-11.
The entrants performed a short dance at the start of the pageant, modeled gowns and were asked elementary questions, such as their favorite activity.
All received trophies, with special awards given out for “Miss Personality,” “Best Hair” and “Best Smile.”
And of course, there were the big winners. Nine-year-old Isabella Duke was crowned Little Miss Moran. Katie Bigelow, 6, was crowned Little Miss Jr. Moran. Both received a crown, sash and trophy.
Assisting Hoffman were the Leet family of Lawrence. Kendra Leet, 16, is the 2011 National American Miss Kansas Jr. Teen. Her parents, Frank and Teri Leet, donated all of the trophies.
Special sashes, for the two entrants who were judged to have the best smiles, were donated by the family of Brandi Lynes. Lynes was an accomplished dancer, acrobat and pageant contestant before she died in a 1999 traffic accident at 13.
“It meant a lot to get those donations,” Cochran said.
Duke took home the Best Smile sash, as well as an award for best hair. Shawna Warford took home the Miss Personality award. Others competing in her age group were Austyn Stewart, who was runner-up in the Miss Personality running; Isabelle Bigelow runner-up for Best Smile; and Wardford, who was runner-up for Best Hair.
In the Jr. Miss Moran division, Dru Probst took home the Best Smile award; Hanna Moore was runner-up. Alyson Ard won the Best Hair award; Mykala Ard was runner-up. Qiana Scott was named Miss Personality; Shelby Shaughnessy was runner-up. Kayla Dawn Bombagi was runner up for the Little Miss Jr. Moran.
All of the contestants will be featured next Saturday in the annual Moran Day parade.
None of the participants had competed in a pageant before Saturday.
Hoffman will compete in the Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen pageant in June 2012 in Pratt. She is competing as Miss Moran Outstanding Teen.
Leet will compete in the National American Miss Pageant Thanksgiving week in Disneyland.
Moran pageant gauges inner beauty
