Twelve-year-old Stephanie Finley just passed through one of the most exciting weekends of her life, according to her mother.
Entered in the regional National American Miss contest in Garden Grove, for girls and young ladies from ages 4 to 18 to bolster their self-esteem, Ms. Findley, her brother, Jeremiah, and their mother, Natasha Butcher, checked into the Hyatt Hotel, the site of the Saturday pageant, Thursday evening at the dinner hour.
[img]161|left|Stephanie Findley||no_popup[/img]While her brother and mother occupied themselves, Ms. Findley went off to the National Miss workshop to get acquainted with her fellow contestants.
The workshop evolved into a pajama party. “They played games, and they generally had fun,” Mrs. Butcher said.
Friday was Rehearsal Day, and her brother was nominated to serve as Ms. Findley’s escort for the portion of the contest in her age division.
On Saturday, while Ms. Findley did not finish first, she did earn a trophy.
Mrs/ Butcher said that her daughter gained many new friends and valuable life experience she would not have known if she had not entered the contest.
Ms. Findley, who wants to become a model or a dancer, qualified for the state finals of the National American Miss contest.
Even though she did not win, Ms. Butcher said, the competition was a wonderful experience for Stephanie and the whole family.