by Peggy High '55
Those of us who were fortunate enough to hear President of Self Government Amaris Crawford ’05, now at Emory University, speak on Alumnae Day, Friday, April 21, will always remember her dignity and eloquence as she spoke on the subject of the wheel, the symbol of her school, and of the direction it had already given to her young life.
For us Amaris needs no further “crown”; nevertheless the Youth Pageant of America, which seeks to promote “youth development and leadership among young women,” invited her to compete in their 2005 New York City Preliminary Pageant. The pageant, which was held at the Queensborough Community College, has both local and national competitions for girls aged 10 to 19. “At first, I was not interested in the whole pageant thing because it just wasn’t me,” said Amaris, “and I figured that they had received my name because of my AP/SAT scores or through the National Achievement Scholarship Organization that had contacted me.”
Ultimately persuaded to take part in the pageant, which evaluates students, on their intelligence, values, poise and communications skills, Amaris was interviewed twice, submitting to questions concerning her education and extracurricular activities, and was asked to write an essay. “I wrote on the AIDS crisis in Africa and about a personal experience with a family friend who had recently died of AIDS,” she said.
On the night of July 24, Amaris joined the other contestants in her teen division, 150 young women, from public and private schools as well as colleges, for the local pageant in NYC. Although dressed in evening attire and instructed in how to move onstage, the participants were judged on much more than their poise and physical grace. In addition to their previous interviews and writing assignments, each one now had to deliver a short speech outlining her aspirations. Amaris won the title of Miss New York City, receiving not only $1,000 but also an additional $250 for her essay and an all-expenses-paid trip to Orlando, Florida, the scene of the national competition and her second triumph.
“I came in top 10 in Florida and won first runner-up for my essay, ” she said. And as for a gleaming sash and the traditional crown, she won those too.