In natural pageants such as Pure American Girl (PAG), Miss American Coed (MAC), National American Miss (NAM), and other pageants similar in format, there is a required 20 or 30 second onstage personal introduction that you need to deliver to the judges.

The purpose of the introduction is to give the judges an instant snapshot into your personality.

For years I’ve been helping young girls write their introductions but it wasn’t until I had to write and memorize my own that I gained even more valuable insights. Honestly, memorizing the silly thing was creating stress I hadn’t felt in a long time. Ridiculous, right? Maybe. But I learned much by going through the process myself.

First, what looks good on paper doesn’t always come across well when spoken. You need to say your introduction out loud. Then say it to a couple different people. Ask them what they hear. Certain word combinations may not convey what you mean. Make necessary changes and say it out loud again.

Secondly, you have to believe in what you are saying. If it’s just a bunch of memorized words, it won’t stand out and will sound fake. People have to believe what you are saying.

Finally, focus on the meaning not the words. Your chances of getting tongue-tied are greater if you focus on each individual word instead of the whole meaning.

I probably had 10 different versions of my introduction before I decided on the final one. It developed over a couple weeks during the long hours of driving on the road.
So here are my final words of wisdom. Give yourself plenty of time to create it and say it out loud as often as you can. If it doesn’t feel right, change it. It must be 100% you. No one else.

On my training DVD, my daughter and I demonstrate how to deliver an on stage introduction along with numerous other modeling and training tips .

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

WTP Take The Stage Training DVD

The Winning Through Pageantry Take The Stage™ training DVD is a must have training tool for natural beauty pageants. The depth of information shared in this video will further polish your on stage presence.

Remember, the judges cast their final vote when you are on stage in your evening gown. Your overall stage presence and appearance will determine your final placement.

In this 60-minute DVD, you will learn:

• proper posture and alignment,
• foot positioning,
• timing of your turns,
• multiple walking patterns,
• stage presence,
• microphone etiquette,
• Numerous tips as Rhonda demonstrates all of these techniques.

The modeling style taught in this video will work for those contestants competing in the following natural pageant systems:

• Pure American Girl (PAG),
• Miss American Coed (MAC),
• National American Miss (NaMiss),
• Miss America,
• America's Outstanding Teen,
• Miss Teen USA,
• Miss USA,
• Mrs. America,
• Mrs. United States,
• Teen, Miss and Mrs. International,
• America's National Teenager (Antso),
• American Royal Beauties,
• Any of the numerous systems that follow the standards of a natural pageant.

Contestants who are brand new to pageantry or have done a couple pageants in the past; and those who do not have pageant preparation resources close to them will benefit most from this DVD. Even if you feel confident in your modeling skills, the numerous tips shared in this DVD will take your onstage presence to the next level.

Please allow up to 14 days to receive your DVD. This is being shipped from a separate vendor. The DVD is readable in all countries around the world but should you receive a defective DVD, a replacement one will be sent.

Rhonda Shappert, is both an iPEC and ICF certified expert pageant coach. In addition to holding multiple titles herself, her clients have won titles at local, state, national and internationals pageants. Her award winning newsletter is received weekly by thousands internationally.

With over 30 years experience in the pageant industry as a contestant, titleholder, judge, emcee, staff member, coach and mother of daughters who compete, there isn't an area of pageantry she doesn't fully understand.

$27 (+$7 S&H)

 

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry®  to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete positive pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to succeed From The Inside Out ®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels. Rhonda is the reigning 2012 National Ms. Elegance Pure American Girl queen.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three daughters educates their children within the home and has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen. They are part of the music ministry at their church and have produced an original contemporary Christian music CD. She is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for two nonprofit organizations.  For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

Many pageant systems are moving away from suits to fashionable dresses for interview. This doesn’t mean the task of finding the perfect interview dress is any easier. You still have to find the right color, cut and style that compliments your coloring, body shape and sense of personal style. 

For Miss America’s Outstanding Teen and Miss America contestants, sheath dresses in bold colors are a great choice. Look for dresses that have an interesting neckline or some sort of feature to bring attention to your face. One solid color will make you look professional and taller. Another option would be to find a dress where the top third of the dress is one color (or a print) with the bottom two thirds is a different color (solid). The hemline should be high enough above your knee so it is flattering to your legs but long enough so you don’t make the judges blush.

 

Below you’ll find some examples and the links to the dresses I found that would be great choices for interview. The Cache dresses are on sale for $80 now. If you like one of them and they still have your size, order it. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to find your interview dress. All the shoes are from Zappos.

The stores are receiving regular shipments of their spring lines now. Make friends with one of the sales people in the store. Tell them your size, color and possible style of dress you’re looking for so they can call you when fresh inventory arrives.

 

Mark your favorite websites and check a couple times a week for new dresses.
Then line up a local seamstress who can make any necessary adjustments to make it fit you like a glove- not too tight, not too loose.

For your shoes, find a fashionable pair of high heels (peep or closed-toe) that coordinate with the color of your dress.

Now, you don’t want them to be so attention grabbing that the judges spend their time admiring your feet during the interview; but you don’t need to wear the plain closed-toe taupe shoes any more.

If you’re petite and want to elongate your legs, then stay with a skin colored shoe but choose a pair that is stylish.
Happy shopping.

You’ll have to do a store locator search to find this Heather French dress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cache.com/detail/starburst-dress/N5370A70251005/62

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cache.com/detail/origami-ribbon-dress/N5370A70253290/42

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cache.com/detail/asymmetrical-cut-out-dress/M5370A70253770/64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No black hose for interview.

http://www.cache.com/detail/asymmetrical-pleated-dress/N5370A70253730/66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.

The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Life Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on two governing boards of non-profit organizations.  She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

Your paperwork makes your first impression to the judges and will set the tone for your interview. I see these 15 grammar mistakes all the time on pageant contestants’ resumes and bio sheets. Are you making any of these mistakes?

Thank you www.copyblogger.com/grammar-goofs/  for this wonderful visual.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

 

 

INTERVIEW CARD

 

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.

The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

 

 

 

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Life Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on two governing boards of non-profit organizations.  She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visitwww.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

<a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/grammar-goofs/"><img src="http://netdna.copyblogger.com/images/grammar-goofs.png" alt="15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look Silly" title="15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look Silly - Infographic" width="600" height="4661" /></a><br /><small>Like this infographic? Get more <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriting-101/">copywriting</a> tips from <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/">Copyblogger</a>.</small>

 

The secret to standing out from a field of highly accomplished pageant contestants is having more depth than width in your life. The width is the quantity of the activities in which you participate, and the depth is the quality of your involvement within your accomplishments. The more prestigious the title, job or scholarship you are competing for, the more important your depth of contribution becomes.

For example, let’s say there are three young women who all have a 4.0 GPA. When comparing the transcripts, we find the first young lady has taken the basic courses required by her high school to graduate. The second young woman has taken honors classes all four years of high school. The third contestant took honors courses as an underclassman, but her senior year she took an AP (Advanced Placement) course for college credit. If scholastic achievement is part of the judging criteria, the third pageant contestant is going to get the highest points for her academic accomplishments.

When it comes to academics, the evaluators want to see progressive growth and that the individual is continually challenging herself each year. This is not only relevant in pageants, but also a standard for college scholarship selection as well.

This same principle carries over into your extracurricular activities, community service, pageant appearances, and platform involvement.

Just remember, you hit oil by drilling deep.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

 

INTERVIEW CARD

 

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.

The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Life Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on two governing boards of non-profit organizations.  She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

 

Please don’t make this costly pageant mistake. If you are competing in a pageant where you have to submit paperwork for the judges to see, have two other people and finally your coach look it over a couple of weeks before your forms need to be turned into the director. All too often I find what a contestant meant to say and what comes across on the paper are conflicting. Once the pageant paperwork is turned in, it’s too late to change things.

My heart sinks when people send me their paperwork to review and when I see items that need to be changed, THEN they tell me “but I’ve already turned it in.” At this point, you’ve gone from playing offense, where you score points, to defense.
Misspelled words, punctuation errors and improper grammar are just the tip of the iceberg of the mistakes I see on contestants’ fact sheets. Formatting, word choice, and tone on your paperwork will make or break you in the interview room.

Your photo and paperwork create your first impression. Your second time to capture the judges’ attention is when they see you face-to-face. If the contestant they see in person is inconsistent with the woman on paper (or in her headshot), you’ve just created doubt in the judges’ minds. That’s not what you want. You want the judges to be looking for you, and eager to meet you.

The quality of the information on your judge’s sheet will determine the type and quality of the questions you are asked during your interview. Think of your contestant fact sheet as bait. You want to lure the judges in to ask the specific questions you need so you can catch their hearts and votes with your answers.

It takes hours and more than one draft to create a judge’s bio that will get the highest scores in the pageant. Haste makes waste. If you wait until the last minute to start on your paperwork, I guarantee you will not create the proper first impression you want or do your best.

Start a month before it is due. Work a little bit on your paperwork each day. Then when you have it to the point where you think it is perfect, have an English teacher proof read it. Once she is finished with it, have another professional adult look it over. Finally, have your pageant coach read it before you submit it to your director. By taking the time and going through many filters, not only will typos be caught, but your message will be clearer.

If you want a different set of eyes to look over your paperwork, I’ve created a Paperwork Review Session. It consists of two mini-coaching sessions. In the first call, I will share with you my first impressions about your photo and bio; conduct a 5-minute mock interview based on the paperwork you have provided to me; tips on how to improve your paperwork; and a second mini-call after you have made corrections from our first call. This will be the best $50 investment to strengthening your first impression and to building a solid foundation for your interview. To get the most from our time together, have the exact forms your pageant system uses filled out to the best you can. Then,click here to purchase your session. Once payment has been received, you will then receive an email to schedule your private telephone session with me.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).
She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.
She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

 

What did she just say? Words that are mispronounced and poor grammar can influence people’s opinion of you and your education level. For example, just because the word “ain’t” is in the dictionary doesn’t mean you should use it. The dictionary will tell you if the word is spelled correctly. That doesn’t necessarily mean the usage of the word itself is “proper” or viewed in a positive light if you say it. Over the years, many slang words have been added to our dictionaries.

I am not an English major, but here is my shortlist of mispronounced words that drive me crazy:

• The words are “wasn’t, business, isn’t, and didn’t” not “wadn't, bidness, idn’t, and din’t.”

• "I have a ways to go" should be "I have a way to go."

• The “t” in the word “often” is silent. You will find both pronunciations in the dictionary but in the United States; the silent “t” version is preferred. It’s “off-en” not “off- ten”.

• The word is regardless, not irregardless.

• This is important for all pageant girls to know. The word is “jewelry” (jewel- ree) not “jew-ler-ee”. No extra syllable.

• It is “with” not “wit”.

• It is “that” not “dat”.

• “Ask” me something but don’t “ax” me. Pronounce that “s”

• Say all the consonants in the word “important”. I’m going to have a hard time taking you seriously if you say the word “im-poor-unt”.

• Do say “across”, don’t say “acrossed”.

• The place where we borrow books is the “library” not the “ly-berry.”

 

• ESCAPE / ESPRESSO / ET CETERA

           • Incorrect pronunciation: ex – cape / ex – presso / ex – set – err – uh 
           • Correct pronunciation: ess – cape / ess – presso / ett – set – err – uh

 

• FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES
  • Incorrect pronunciation: “for all intensive purposes”
  • Correct pronunciation: “for all intents and purposes”

 

• SHERBET
  • Incorrect pronunciation: sherr – berrt
  • Correct pronunciation: sherr – bet

 

Here is a list of other commonly mispronounced words.
http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/mispronounced_words.html

WTP Take The Stage Training DVD

The Winning Through Pageantry Take The Stage™ training DVD is a must have training tool for natural beauty pageants. The depth of information shared in this video will further polish your on stage presence.

Remember, the judges cast their final vote when you are on stage in your evening gown. Your overall stage presence and appearance will determine your final placement.

In this 60-minute DVD, you will learn:

• proper posture and alignment,
• foot positioning,
• timing of your turns,
• multiple walking patterns,
• stage presence,
• microphone etiquette,
• Numerous tips as Rhonda demonstrates all of these techniques.

The modeling style taught in this video will work for those contestants competing in the following natural pageant systems:

• Miss American Coed (MAC),
• National American Miss (NaMiss),
• Miss America,
• America's Outstanding Teen,
• Miss Teen USA,
• Miss USA,
• Mrs. America,
• Mrs. United States,
• Teen, Miss and Mrs. International,
• America's National Teenager (Antso),
• Any of the numerous systems that follow the standards of a natural pageant.

Contestants who are brand new to pageantry or have done a couple pageants in the past; and those who do not have pageant preparation resources close to them will benefit most from this DVD. Even if you feel confident in your modeling skills, the numerous tips shared in this DVD will take your onstage presence to the next level.
Please allow up to 14 days to receive your DVD. This is being shipped from a separate vendor. The DVD is readable in all countries around the world but should you receive a defective DVD, a replacement one will be sent.

Rhonda Shappert, is both an iPEC and ICF certified expert pageant coach. In addition to holding multiple titles herself, her clients have won titles at local, state, national and internationals pageants. Her award winning newsletter is received weekly by thousands internationally. She has helped her clients win local, state, national and international titles.

With over 30 years experience in the pageant industry as a contestant, titleholder, judge, emcee, staff member, coach and mother of daughters who compete, there isn't an area of pageantry she doesn't fully understand.

$27 (+ $7 S&H)

The WTP Interview Card (Set of 12)

What kind of questions will the judges ask me in interview?
What if I don't have an answer?

The ability to answer questions about you, your family, platform, goals, community and pop culture in a clear way is an important life skill. The more practice you have in conversing with people, the better your speaking skills will become.
Over 1000 contestants from ages 7 to 80 around the world have used these cards and reported back to me that they were confident and prepared for their pageant interview. Many of my clients receive the highest interview scores.
As a contestant and judge, these are real questions that I have asked, been asked, or heard other judges ask in the interview room. I know they are effective and relevant because my clients and pageant family on Facebook have told me several times that they have experienced other pageant coaches and judges using my cards. By the way, I take this as a compliment, not a threat :).
Outstanding features of this 12 card set includes:</ p>

• Over 200 questions covering 12 diverse subjects. Each card has questions dedicated to one topic. For example, there are 56 questions on the "favorites" card.
• The back side is blank so you can jot down your ideas for answers.
• Being the size of a recipe card, they are easy to carry and you can practice anywhere.

$25.00

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

At some point in your pageant experience, you are going to be asked questions about politics. A contestant’s level of ignorance (the condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed) is quickly revealed based on her answers about general politics and government.

Having been an elected member of council, former mayor of my community, and a current school board member, I have learned a lot about politics in the past 13 years. I’m not an expert, but I know and understand how government works. I also know where to go and what to do if I feel a social ill needs to be changed. The system no longer intimidates me nor do the people holding elected offices. I respect their authority; but I am not intimidated as I once was in my youth.

I understand why people think it is complicated and don’t want to get involved. Growing up I had no interest in politics. I didn’t understand politics, I had no idea of how the governing process affected me, and it wasn’t a topic talked about in my home. Plus, I always had the impression that it was a “guy” thing. Oh my, I shudder at even saying that.

The switch came almost 15 years ago when a housing development issue happened in my town and I needed to get involved. There will come a time in your live when something will happen to you, your family or community where you will need to understand how our government works in order to have something corrected. Start now by educating yourself on the basics and work your way up.
The way to educate yourself is to become familiar with the basic vocabulary used in politics and certain fundamental laws in your state.

Become very familiar with the Sunshine Law, or Open Meetings and Public Records Act, within your state- just search those words online. This law explains how meetings are open to the public, how to request public records, and other very important topics regarding meetings and records. Violation of this law may render a law invalid along with other legal ramifications. Also check with your state Municipal League for educational materials and Google your state’s Codified Law, or Revised Code. Again, I am not an attorney but rather a very informed citizen and former public official.

It’s important to note that government was set up with a system of checks and balances so no one branch of government goes on an ego trip thinking they have more power than they actually do…LOL.

All branches are intended to be of equal importance. The different governing powers are split up amongst the three branches- executive, legislative and judicial.
The national level of our legislative body is called Congress and is made up of the House of Representative (called Congressmen) and the Senate (called Senators). Both make laws.

Our country is politically divided and subdivided. Realize that every division and subdivision has its own set of laws. Don’t assume what is law in one state or town is going to be the same in another. I’m going to use Ohio as an example to illustrate the dividing. Below is a photo of how Ohio is divided into the 88 counties.

 

States are divided into counties. Counties are divided into townships. Within townships, there are incorporated municipalities of towns and cities, and rural farmland areas which are unincorporated. Every piece of land in the United States falls under someone’s authority. It’s important for you to know which governing authorities control the law making processes where you live and provide services to you. Each level of government is responsible for different types of services and have specific law making authority. This is a photo of how Pickaway County is divided into the fifteen townships.

In a township, the Board of Trustees is the governing body. This would include the rural, farming areas and the towns and cities within the township. So if the your farm road needs more gravel or pavement, that is an issue for your Trustees.

In municipalities, you’ll either be a town or village based on the population. Towns and villages have smaller populations. Every state has a different scale but towns and villages generally have populations under 5000 people. Cities are usually over 5000 people. There are different governing laws for towns/villages than for cities, so you have to know which one your municipality is.

Here is a very general explanation of the different levels of government and what they do.

National Level

• Legislative Branch - Congress which is made up of the House and the Senate. They make the laws.
• Judicial Branch - Supreme Court Judges interpret the meaning of the constitution and national laws.
• Executive Branch - The President is the head of the executive branch and puts the laws passed by Congress into action and enforces them. He does this will the help of his cabinet, which the President selects. Some positions need the approval of Congress.

State Level

• Legislative Branch - The Legislature is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. They make the laws.
• Judicial Branch - State Supreme Court Judges interprets the meaning of the state laws.
• Executive - The Governor is the head of the executive branch at the state level. He puts the laws passed by the legislature into action and enforces them. He does this will the help of his cabinet.

County Level

• The County Commissioners are the governing body for the county.
• Judicial Branch - The county courts interpret county wide laws.

Township Level

• The Board of Trustees govern within the township.

 

Local Municipalities

• Legislative Branch - The Council makes the laws within a town or city.
• Executive Branch – The Mayor is the head of the local executive branch and the responsibilities are to put the ordinances (local laws) passed by the council into action and enforce them.
• Judicial Branch - Mayor’s Court interprets and upholds local ordinances (laws).

 

So why is it important to understand the division of power in our government? Because every time I’m judging a pageant and a contestant answers the question “If I were President (or insert the word Governor, or Mayor) of my area, I would make a law to …” I role my eyes because these offices do not make the law. Same goes if they say they want to be a judge because they feel it’s important to make laws to keep the criminals off the streets. Sigh… honorable intention, but judges DO NOT make laws, they interpret the meaning of the laws.

And that concludes my politics 101 class for today. I hope that helps. Maybe I should have done a clever You Tube clip in the theme of Schoolhouse Rock to share my thoughts…LOL. Hmmm, now there’s a thought.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

One of the most common comments you may receive after your pageant interview is that you sounded too rehearsed. The judges can say this in a number of different ways including the words “sounded too coached, memorized, programmed, stiff, fake, pageanty, formal, intellectual, nervous” and the list goes on. It boils down to the fact that you didn’t speak WITH the judges, but rather TO them.

The interview must be a conversation. A good conversation requires listening and speaking by both parties. Notice, I did not use the word “telling”. Telling is when you are focused on you. When you are truly listening to the other person, you are turning your attention from yourself and focusing on them. That’s when the conversation becomes magical and you will connect with the judges.

Here are 5 common mistakes that I see when I am judging a pageant or working with a client on interview.

• Being a copy cat. If you are imitating someone else’s style, using their words, or copying their information, you will come across as fake. You must take time to explore and reflect on who YOU ARE and expressing yourself.

• Thinking instead of feeling. In other words, speaking from your head and not your heart will back fire on you. Don’t waste your time trying to figure out what the judges are looking for or coming up with answers you think will sound impressive and great. Stop thinking. People connect with you when they “feel” something, not “think” something. Speak from your heart.

• Focusing on the words and not your message. Do you to remember why you hated history class in school? It was a class filled with too many facts, quotes, or words that didn’t mean anything to you. Focus on sharing your message instead being the next Jeopardy contestant. You do need to know your facts. It’s the way your present the facts that make the difference between being real and fake.

• Failing to prepare- Never memorize interview answers word for word. Even if you have been asked the same question 5 times before, when you answer the question your answer must sound like it is the first time you are answering it. This takes time and practice to develop. And the answer is no if you are thinking that you’ll sound more natural by not practicing and you’ll just winging it.

• Letting your thoughts and nerves control you. You need to be aware of your internal dialogue at all times. It can be both your best friend and worst enemy. Same thing goes for your nerves. You need to learn how to quickly relax when you get stressed.

If you can work on these 5 areas, not only will your interview scores go up; but you will become a better communicator and the quality of your relationships will increase in life beyond the pageant.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

The words you choose and what you put on your pageant paperwork will either build up or destroy your credibility in the judges’ eyes. Everything and anything you put in writing is fair game in the interviewing process.

 

Trust me. If you put one thing on your resume hoping inside that the judges won’t ask you about it, there will be at least one judge who WILL. If you reference a website or an organization in your paperwork, know that some of the judges will go online to check it out as well as look at your Facebook wall.

That’s why it is so important to be as clear as possible when creating your paperwork. Your written paperwork is not the place to be cutesy. That personality trait is best shared in the face-to-face interview. Remember, the interview must feel like a conversation not a speech. Talk with the judges, not at them.

The written documents must be straight forward, filled with enough factual information so the judges can ask you quality questions, and all information must be completely truthful. Never try to mislead people by making something appear bigger than what it is.

On the other hand, there are often golden pieces of information that contestants leave off their resumes because they don’t feel they are “special or unique” enough to share with the judges. This is also a mistake.

You cannot leave filling out your paperwork until the last minute. When creating a judge’s bio, I often go through three or four drafts with my clients before we get to the final copy. This takes hours, not minutes to do. If you want to get better interview results, this is one area where it will be well worth your time and money to find a qualified professional to assist you. Let me know if I can be of service to you in creating a written resume that reflects your unique invisible qualities in their finest light.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

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INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

 

 

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .