Pre-teen qualifies for national pageant

RIVER CLUB — Seven-year-old Ally Frank wants to go to Hollywood, Calif.

It isn’t to become an actress, or even to see her favorite celebrities.

Instead, the River Club resident has her sights set on competing in the 2013 National American Miss Junior Pre-Teen Pageant.

Ally placed as second runner-up in the 2013 National American Miss’ Miss Florida Junior Pre-Teen Pageant July 12 and July 13, paving the way for her to compete nationally in November.

At the competition, she also took home trophies for being a state finalist, for earning the spirit award and for outstanding program participation.

Ally’s mother, Sharon, said she and her husband, Brad, were not thrilled with the idea of Ally entering a pageant, but decided to let Ally audition and learn more about the pageant, because Ally was so eager to participate in it.

“I was extremely impressed with the philosophy of the pageant,” Sharon Frank said. “They spent a lot of time educating parents about the life skills learned.”

Contestants, she said, are not judged on beauty but, rather, on confidence, poise, personality and interviewing.

Ally placed in the top 15 of 114 contestants, after two days of competition, which included one-on-one interviews with eight judges, modeling formalwear, public speaking and other events.

Ally said she loved everything about the competition, but she especially enjoyed meeting the other contestants and being escorted by her grandfather, David Frank, and having her siblings, two aunts, three cousins, grandparents and parents in the crowd to watch her.

“All that matters is you have fun and that you enjoy being in Miss National Miss,” Ally said.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].