“Gabrielle started doing natural pageants in 2010,” her mother Debbie said. “She asked me if she could try it and I was skeptical at first but I have a friend who is a systems director in the natural pageants and she encouraged us.”
Debbie’s ideas and thoughts about pageants, she admits, were more naive than positive.
“My perception was that these were all about exploiting little girls and having them wear too much makeup making them look a lot older than they are,” she said. “I was very impressed with the natural pageants because they teach participants great skills they can use for life.”
Gabrielle has participated in around 15 pageants and started winning in earnest last year, when she won several state titles and eventually, the national title in the American Royal Beauties pageant. American Royal Beauties is a natural scholarship pageant that “celebrates positive young ladies and emphasizes the importance of community service, inner beauty, poise and style,” according to the group’s website. Girls competing in the pageants wear “age appropriate” makeup and clothing, with the younger age groups wearing no make-up at all and the pre-teen group allowed very minimal makeup with no false eyelashes, eye liner or eye shadow. Interview outfits are business casual attire and suites and evening gowns must be modest with no long slits.
“Gabrielle does not have a fear of speaking in public and she knows how to present herself,” Debbie said. “She is articulate and answers questions and she has learned how to practice friendly competition. We are really proud of her not only because of the titles but because of the community service and scholarship that comes with it.”
In fact, 30 percent of the pageant scoring is related to public speaking and Gabrielle, now 13 and an eighth grader at Miami Valley School, has refined those skills as a result.
“I started doing it because it was fun and seemed interesting,” Gabrielle said. “I have a friend who helped me and told me how things would go. I was more excited than nervous the first time in front of an audience.”
Gabrielle began competing in smaller pageants that eventually lead to the state and national events, which thrust her into the limelight in front of larger and larger audiences.
“They teach you how to talk to an audience and get in front of people and not be shy,” she said.
And though Gabrielle said she never was a shy child, she believes the pageants have helped her grow into her confidence even more, teaching her that winning isn’t always everything in life.
“I always hoped for the best but competed a lot without winning at all,” she said. “My goal was to get my first state title before I moved into the junior teen level and I did.”
Gabrielle and her mother traveled to Dublin, Ohio for the national pageant and she was crowned Ms. American Royal Beauty in February. Gabrielle won a scholarship to help finance her college education and will continue her community service project of feeding the poor and homeless throughout the year. She also enjoys playing tennis and writing and hopes to become either a meteorologist or a talk show host, employing her excellent public speaking skills.
“I would like to aim for the Miss USA pageant one day,” Gabrielle said. “But I know that college is more important so that will be my priority. I will continue with the pageants as long as I’m having a good time doing them.”
And her parents, Debbie and dad, Christopher, are behind her 100 percent.
“I think this is a great healthy competition,” Debbie said. “The personal introductions and interviews are very positive and the girls learn to root for one another. Gabrielle has made lifelong friends through pageantry. The natural pageants have real substance and I’m so glad she talked me into allowing her to try it.”
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