Farmington

Eight teens vie for Miss Farmington title

By David Wallace
C & G Staff Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Donna Agusti Elena Pavlicas and Grace Newlin rehearse one of their moments in the spotlight. Photo by Donna Agusti Elena Pavlicas and Grace Newlin rehearse one of their moments in the spotlight.

Those who love pageantry and personality will want to be at Farmington Civic Theater at 7 p.m. July 18 for the Miss Farmington Pageant.

This year’s contest attracted eight young women from Farmington and Farmington Hills who hope to wear the crown and represent the two cities for the next 12 months.

The contestants have already helped at community events, and as they prepare for the big day, they will make more appearances this week, including helping at the Gov. Warner Mansion porch party at 7 p.m. July 12.

“I think that we all personally have gained skills, especially leadership. We’ve gone out into the community. We’ve helped elders at Longacre House. We’ve played with kids at a bunch of different events. So it really gets you out of your comfort zone, because you have to learn to talk to people,” said Paige Campbell, 17, who will be a senior at Harrison High School.

The contestants saw a lot of value in the Miss Farmington Pageant.

“I was really interested in becoming a part of the community and learning more about how it works, the inner workings of it, so I thought this would be a good way to get into that,” said Lily LaBelle, 16, who will be a junior at Farmington High School.

“I did it last year, and I thought that Miss Farmington brought a lot to the community and did a lot for younger girls especially, and people look up to her, so I decided that I was going to do it again,” said Campbell.

“I wanted to be more involved in the community, and I wanted to be a part of all the happenings in Farmington Hills, and I really wanted to be a good role model for today’s youth,” said Grace Newlin, 14, who will be a sophomore at Farmington High School this fall.

Stephaney Vietor, 15, who will be a sophomore at North Farmington this fall, expressed a similar interest in being a role model.

The reigning Miss Farmington, Elise Newcomer, set a high standard for community involvement, whether she was ringing the bell to open the downtown Farmington Farmers and Artisans Market or collecting winter clothes for the Michigan Veterans Foundation, a Detroit-based organization that helps homeless veterans.

“I think Elise really looked at it as a way to make a difference in the world. Having the platform of being Miss Farmington gave her the opportunity to bring out the charities she’s really passionate about,” said mom Janet Newcomer.

There is no doubt that all eight young women will look glamorous at the pageant, but as they noted, the pageant puts a spotlight on their personalities. Elise Newcomer, who helped six of the contestants rehearse their dance numbers at the Barbara Hatch School of Dance July 8, recommends that they be themselves and be as active in the community as possible.

The girls will open the pageant in businesslike fashion — literally.

“They (have) to wear an outfit that they would wear if they were going on an interview for a job,” said pageant organizer Ginny Morris.

State Rep. Vicki Barnett is scheduled to sing the national anthem.

The pageant moves through several elements: A physical fitness segment highlights favorite sports or activities; a fun with fashion segment puts the spotlight on their personal styles; and an evening gown portion has the contestants answering questions from the judging panel. This year’s pageant has a masquerade theme that will figure into the festivities.

At the dance school, the girls worked to count their dance steps while delivering their lines to the audience with the right tempo and enunciation. They said the following week would be busy.

“I’m already feeling it,” said Elena Pavlicas, a soon-to-be Harrison High School junior who will celebrate her Sweet 16 birthday by competing in the Miss Farmington Pageant. “The stress has made me a better worker, more organized — like, you know what you have to get done.”

“I personally like to have my schedule very busy. I work very well under those conditions,” said Molly Truitt, 18, who graduated from Farmington High School last month.

The other two contestants are Kristina Franchi and Emily Hunt, who will be Farmington High School seniors this fall.

Tickets to the Miss Farmington Pageant cost $12 in advance or $15 at the door. For advance tickets, call (248) 474-6182 or buy them noon-3 p.m. July 15 at the Barbara Hatch School of Dance, 33305 Grand River Ave.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer David Wallace at dwallace@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1053.