The Miss New Jersey Pageant celebrates and remembers
Posted: Wednesday, June 15, 2016 3:13 pm
Kennedy Stillman-Fath will miss her graduation ceremony from Mainland Regional High School on Friday. But she has a pretty good reason — she’s competing for the title of Miss New Jersey.
Stillman-Fath won the Miss Atlantic County title in October and has since been prepping for the Miss New Jersey competition. She had been involved with the Miss America Outstanding Teen Program for two years, but this is her first year competing for the Miss New Jersey crown.
“The people from Atlantic County have been so encouraging and supportive, especially leading up to the pageant,” says Stillman-Fath of representing Atlantic County and her home town Somers Point in the pageant.
Her platform is “Youth and Alcohol — A Dangerous Mix,” and she has visited schools across South Jersey, speaking to middle schoolers about underage drinking, though she hopes to expand her reach to all of New Jersey.
“When I was in seventh and eighth grade I heard stories of teenagers drinking underage and I thought, ‘Why is this such a big problem?’ We have teachers and doctors and everyone telling us not to drink until we’re 21, and actually 75 percent of teens will try alcohol before their senior year in high school,” Stillman-Fath explains. “I figured that I was a peer and I could go to teens and talk to them about drinking, because I always find that if I go to my friends and they tell me not to do something, I’m more likely to listen to them than a parent or a teacher.”
Stillman-Fath and the other 29 hopefuls will compete in the preliminaries on Thursday and Friday, June 16 and 17, with the finals begin held 7 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Ocean City Music Pier.
This year’s pageant will put a focus on legacy and remembrance. According to Robin DiLauri, producer for the pageant, past Miss New Jerseys will lend their participation at the competition. The 2006 Miss New Jersey Georgine DiMaria will perform in Friday’s preliminary round and the winners from 20 years ago, Melanie Bell, and 50 years ago, Christine Ebright, will serve on the judges’ panel.
“It’s really nice because this pageant is so much about history and legacy and keeping tradition alive in New Jersey,” DiLauri says. “Miss America is just known for that — for these relationships that endure way after the pageant ends.”
Another legacy contestant lending a hand is 6 ABC’s Karen Rogers, a former Miss New Jersey first runner up. Rogers will host the show, and has been, according to DiLauri, “a lifetime friend of the Miss New Jersey competition.”
The pageant also will honor former Miss New Jersey winner Cara McCollum, who died in a car accident earlier this year. A scholarship will be given in remembrance, presented by Keith Jones, an NBC Philadelphia anchor and McCollum’s boyfriend.
Before the crowning, however, the contestants will be swept up in a few days of prep and pageantry. As for Stillman-Fath, she’s enjoying the ride.
“This year’s pageant is my first, so I’m really excited to be here and experience Miss New Jersey,” Stillman-Fath says. “I love being here with all of the girls — we’re having a great time.”
MISS NEW JERSEY PAGEANT
Where: Ocean City Music Pier, Moorlyn and the Boardwalk, O.C.
When: Preliminaries will take place 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 16 and 17, and the finals will take place on Saturday, June 18
How much: Tickets for the preliminaries cost $55 for VIP seating and $40 for general, Tickets for the finals cost $60, no VIP seating remains
Other info: MissNewJersey.net
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/attheshore/events/the-miss-new-jersey-pageant-celebrates-and-remembers/article_46a39cf4-332d-11e6-b019-9b560c94ae42.html
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