Teens perfect winning routines

EAST COUNTY — A group of teenage girls from East County, who are different ages and attend different schools, prepare for the same event — one in which they must showcase themselves, physically and mentally, to clinch the sparkling tiara.

In addition to juggling their extracurricular activities and daily routines, Sarah Adams, Gabriela Cardenas, Mykenzie Johnson and Ally Rahn will converge to put their weeks of practicing public speaking and walking in high heels to the test. The four girls will compete for the 2014 Miss Teen Tampa title from 4 to 8 p.m. Feb. 2 at Tampa’s Centro Asturiano theater.

“It’s been pretty hectic and stressful lately with exams and everything else — not a lot of sleep going on,” Cardenas said.

Although the girls face the same competition, how they prepare varies. For example, Rahn’s daily routine focuses on staying fit and exercising, while Johnson’s regimen consists of practicing her turning-in-heels technique and having a graceful stage presence.

During a recent training session, the girls, along with more than 300 others, came together to further prepare for the pageant. They perfected their casual-wear modeling and ways to handle the element of the event that has all four of the East County teenagers nervous — answering a question in front of judges and an audience.

“I’m most nervous for the onstage question, honestly,” Johnson said. “We won’t have heard the question before, so it’s going to take some quick thinking. I’ve watched a million YouTube videos on interview tips and sample questions.”

Cardenas and Rahn, who has appeared in more than 25 commercials for theme parks and other businesses and is also a sophomore at Braden River High, also cannot shake nervousness about not knowing what they will be asked.

Rahn remains confident, however, that her articulation and communication skills, which she considers her biggest asset, will help her succeed.

Each year, 73 areas nationwide host Miss Teen pageants, in which nominated girls divided into age divisions, ranging from 7- to 19-year-olds, compete for a crown and a spot to compete at the national competition. But only one representative from the 16- to 19 year-old age bracket can move forward to vie for $30,000 in scholarships in December.

The girls all agree, however, that they have enjoyed and are grateful for the journey so far.

“Even if I don’t win, it’s about the experience,” Rahn said.

Sarah Adams
Sarah Adams, a 16-year-old junior at Braden River High, would apply scholarship dollars toward studying psychology and specializing in clinical psychology at the University of South Florida. Adams also was named Miss Manatee County’s Outstanding Teen at Miss Florida last summer, and served as last year’s junior Fair Queen.

Gabriela Cardenas
Gabriela Cardenas, 17, attends Lakewood Ranch High School as a junior. This will be her first time participating in a pageant. She has only modeled occasionally for her aunt, a photographer. She hopes to attend Florida Gulf Coast University to pursue a degree in nursing.

Mykenzie Johnson
Braden River High sophomore, Mykenzie Johnson, 16, is a new face to the pageant and modeling worlds, but has dreamed of walking the runway and wearing formal gowns since she was a child. Should she earn scholarship money, she would use it to pursue a degree in either psychology or photography — her two passions.

Ally Rahn
Braden River High sophomore Ally Rahn, 16, has a background in commercial modeling and has appeared in advertisements for companies such as Adventure Island and Busch Gardens. If she advances and earns a scholarship, Rahn would put her winnings toward attending the University of California, Los Angeles.

Anna-Maria Anderson
Fifteen-year-old Anna-Maria Anderson, an East County resident, will compete for the Miss Junior Teen Tampa title for the 13- to 15-year-old age group Feb. 2. A home-schooled student, Anderson says the most exciting element of the competition so far has been the chance to make new friends. She hopes to pursue a career in cosmetology and attend a beauty school close to home in Bradenton.

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].