A step further into what I love by Destiny

A step further into what I love by Destiny - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

While looking back on the past few years and all my many extracurricular involvements; I have found that the activity that has made the biggest impact both on my life and my actions towards improving the community stared with my involvement in local beauty pageants. However, since that time I have gone above and beyond being a pageant queen. Two years ago I was inspired to expand on the pageant experiences that I have by reaching out and encouraging other young girls to become involved. I did this by proposing to the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce to resurrect the Miss Atlanta Pageant which had not occurred in over five years. Within my proposal one main point of it was for me to be the individual to direct it.
Many people believe the stereotype of a pageant girl, therefore overlooking the skills and confidence that pageants instill in adolescents. Societies also don’t realize that pageants consist of far more than the performance on a stage, from the moment crowns are awarded the girls job of being a public figure begins. This is the place where I see improvement in the community. The girls from the pageant are role models, who have the grounds to stand for what is right in the world and be someone young children wish to resemble rather than the less positive options available in today’s world. I know from a personal experience that I am truly inspired when a young girl who happens to be at a volunteer event will walk up to me just for a hug and a picture opportunity simply because they want to grow up to be like me. Over the course of their reign the Miss Atlanta court participates in events and community service projects all around the area. They do so all while encouraging others to become involved in the world around them rather the virtual world that is presented through social media and such. Therefore leading teens away from what has become a large issue with today’s society and back towards the actual connections that people once shared.
My volunteer service involved with the pageant tends to be a full-time job. When I say that I’m the pageant’s director that means that I am solely responsible for everything that the pageant consists of including of but not limited to the events planning, recruiting contestants, choreography, music, and finances. As well as organizing all of the events that participants attend in their year of reign. Such as making floats and making sure everyone is in the correct place at the right time for parades and other events. Most of these skills I learned from being in pageants myself. However, some of the other tasks I simply had to experiment with and thanks to the support of the community I can say that I have successfully established a program that will continue for years to come.
Aside from the pageant being successful I have also personally succeeded in different terms. I took a risk and stood up against the norm of society. I was told by multiple people that I couldn’t handle being in control of such a program. At first glance a can see where that thought came from because I personally watched two other women give up on the pageant in years prior. It got to the point where an annual pageant became a dim memory of something that once occurred rather than a legacy to be remembered by the public. But under further reflection this exposes the way teens are viewed in the social order. I can honestly say in my first year of directing the pageant I was the one person who had full confidence in its success. And I wouldn’t change a single thing about my experiences. Being told that I was going to fail only made me work harder towards something to prove for the better of the community. Also I have had the opportunity to further my range of skills that will come in handy after the completion of my schooling.
Two years ago I took what was once my extracurricular activity of mine a step further and altered it to be a volunteer service that affects many people in my home community rather than just me. Not only was I inspired to make a difference through competing in pageants I endeavored in something that is more often unheard of. I actually took action and made a difference in my community. I stood up against the people who chose to doubt my capabilities. And I have taught some of the communities’ adolescent girls both about the experiences that can be had through becoming involved with the world they live in as well as to have confidence with the person they are and skill such as public speaking and poise.