When you think about pageants, what's the first thing that pops into your head? Most likely it's "Toddlers and Tiaras" or maybe "Miss Congeniality." While "Miss Congeniality" isn't completely inaccurate in its description of pageants, most pageants are a far cry from the ones on "Toddlers and Tiaras," and that's a distinction I think is important to understand.

I became involved in pageants last year, and since then, I've been greeted with a lot of negativity towards pageants and pageant systems. Now, maybe I'm just lucky and have had a string of positive experiences in the pageant system or maybe pageants just don't deserve the negative reputation they have received. I have no doubt that there may be catty girls or catty pageants, but the truth is pageants can be such a good experience for many young girls.

Due to my age, I've been able to compete in both the Teen and the Miss divisions. The ladies I have competed with were some of the most genuinely sweet and ambitious people I've been able to meet. The girls are so supportive and the environment is one of love and understanding. I've stayed in touch with a lot of the girls I have met, and when we see each other at the next pageant, we grow closer.

Not only do pageants grow your social circle, but they also help young women with many different social skills. Being in pageants means learning how to compose and present yourself; it means throwing your shoulders back and being confident in who you are. Pageants made me tune in to my skills and talents and made me fall in love with myself all over again. Not only do you have to learn how to present yourself, you also have to be able to speak to others. This helps with interview skills, and in some cases, helps prepare for public speaking. The interviews also help girls to be able to think quickly and problem solve. One major misconception about pageants is that the interviews are overlooked, but in the right pageants, they receive a large portion of the grading too.

At the end of the pageant, there is a winner. This girl is chosen as a role model for young women in the area. She has been chosen due to her ability to support a healthy lifestyle and to show other girls how to recognize their inner abilities as she has done. I think that is the most important part of pageants — finding a good role model for young girls who are beautiful inside and out.

So yes, every pageant is different. There may be some competitiveness, and in some, it may seem like only looks matter. But pageants are so much more than that. A pageant is learning how to better represent yourself; it's being surrounded by girls who are ambitious and kind and knowing you share a different sort of sisterhood; it's the make-up artist who is like your mom for the weekend; it's learning about your strengths and weaknesses; it's knowing that no matter who wins there will be a new role model for young girls. And, most importantly, it's about sharing the butt glue.