Beauty Contest Shines Focus on Forests

Forsyth County hosts inaugural Miss Forestry Pageant

By: Abby Wood

February 28, 2011

CUMMING — Beauty was not the most important message at the inaugural Dawson/Forsyth County Forestry Scholarship Pageant held Saturday, Feb.19.

Saving and preserving the state's forestry industry was front and center at the competition held at the Lanier Technical College Forsyth Conference Center.

Winners on Saturday received crystal crowns, custom-embroidered green and white satin sashes, trophies and a paid entry fee to the 72nd annual Miss Georgia Forestry State Pageant to be held in June in Tifton.

"This pageant is more about teaching the girls and bringing awareness to themselves as well as the environment," said Dadrienne Belisle, the pageant director. "I think the forestry industry and what trees actually do for the environment and for Georgia as a whole is often neglected."

The newly crowned queens will receive hands-on experience about trees and their importance to the environment from the Georgia Forestry Commission.

"They will go to a lumber yard and learn how a tree is processed," Belisle said. "They will learn what all goes into the process of lumber and why it is important to plant seeds and grow trees."

The pageant was made up of 18 contestants divided into separate divisions by age group – ranging from 0 to 24 years old. Categories were Baby Miss, Teeny Miss, Tiny Miss, Little Miss, Junior Miss, Teen Miss and finally Teen Queen.

Kaitlin Fowler, 6, was crowned Tiny Miss Queen. Fowler, a student at Matt Elementary School, was one of the few contestants from Cumming.

Amanda Fowler, Kaitlin's mother, said they have been participating in pageants since Kaitlin was 6 weeks old.

"My hope is that she learns self-confidence and eventually the meaning of taking care of the environment," said Fowler.

Winners received up to $1,000 in scholarship bonds.

One of the judges, Victoria Lovett, of Warner Robins, said she would like to see the older girls become advocates for the forestry industry.

"It's not all about the crown," Lovett said. "It's about getting out in the community and helping with the forestry industry."