By CHARLES MINSHEW

charles.minshew@gaflnews.com



ROCHELLE - Rachael McCall, the 23 year old daughter of John and Betty McCall, will be doing what many young girls probably dream they can do one day. She will be competing in the Miss Georgia Scholarship Pageant on June 21 through June 28 in Columbus.

McCall, who has been competing in pageants for nine years, has competed in Miss Georgia qualifiers for the past two years. She won the Miss Heart of Georgia Pageant in Cordele earlier this year, which was the last chance McCall had to qualify for Miss Georgia.

After winning the Miss Heart of Georgia title, she and other queens participated in Salute the Troops on March 17 at Fort Benning. McCall said that they got to see what the military was like.

“They literally give themselves to the U.S,” McCall said. “It was an honor to be with them.” She got to shoot an M-16, sing for the troops, sign autographed pictures, and learn how to throw a grenade.

The first pageant that McCall competed in was the Miss Cantaloupe pageant when she was 15 years old. She said that she was hooked on pageants after that. Since then, McCall estimates that she has earned almost $5,000 in scholarships through pageants.

In 2000, she won the title of Miss Sweet Potato in Ocilla. Interestingly, her mother, Betty, won the same title in 1970.

“Pageants are a lot of fun. You have the opportunity to serve your community and meet quality people through them,” McCall said. “You become a role model for younger girls.”

To prepare for the Miss Georgia pageant, McCall said that she keeps up with the news and works out every day. A typical workout for her includes getting up at 6:15 a.m and running two miles, 200 sit ups, and 100 push-ups. She said that the hardest thing about the competition is keeping a tan.

McCall is very excited about having the chance to compete. She said, “I’m most excited about being there with other girls with talent that have a big heart and want to do their best for others.”

McCall will compete in a different part of competition every night during the week-long event. On Tuesday, June 23, she will participate in a 10 minute interview that covers current events, scholarship, and her platform, which is “Learn. Lead. Succeed. Agricultural education through the FFA.” She urges girls who want to compete in pageants to choose one that has an interview.

“They challenge you to think on your feet about your stances on issues,” McCall said. “It’s practice for real life and finding a job.”

On Wednesday, McCall will compete in the talent competition. She will perform an original monologue about a flight attendant. On Thursday, there will be an evening gown competition and on Friday, there will be a swimsuit competition.

On the night of the evening gown competiton, eight “princesses” will be on the stage as well. The “princesses” range from ages five to 12 and are mentored by McCall and the other Miss Georgia contestants. They will also have a slumber party with the contestants.

The finale of the pageant will be on Saturday night, when the top 10 young ladies participate in all parts of the week’s competitions except for the interview. The person who ranks the highest will be named Miss Georgia.

“I remember watching Miss America when I was little,” McCall said. “That’s what inspired me and that’s how I want to inspire others.” McCall said that the biggest misconception about beauty pageants is that they are about who is the prettiest girl. She added that the four points on the crown of any Miss America qualifier stand for scholarship, success, style, and service.

“It’s a privilege to wear a crown for a Miss America qualifier,” McCall said. “When you wear a crown, you’re a role model.”

She also noted that she has competed in many pageants with Leah Massee, Miss Georgia 2007 and in a few with Amanda Kozak, Miss Georgia 2006.

If McCall is not successful in becoming Miss Georgia, she will attend the University of Nebraska for her graduate studies.

McCall is a 2007 graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in agricultural economics and a minor in environmental law.

She has been working full time for the Georgia FFA since January, assisting with FFA banquets, training counselors for the FFA/FCCLA Camp in Covington, which holds a summer leadership camp that over 300 students attend weekly.

During 2004 and 2005, she served as the southern region vice president for the national FFA organization.

McCall said that if she does win, the next year will be spent as a sabattical. She will use that time to promote her platform of the importance of agricultural education, while also doing work with the Children’s Miracle Network.

The CMN is the official charity of the Miss America organization. She would like to visit the Children’s Miracle Network hospital and give the children their coloring books featuring agriculture.

Also, McCall would represent the state of Georgia at the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas in January 2009.

“I really think being involved in pageants is a good opportunity for a young lady to understand herself,” McCall said. “The biggest thing that a young lady can get from a pageant is confidence.”

For updated information during the pageant, interested persons can go to their website at www.missga.org. The pageant will not be televised.