Backstage, the halls of Franklin Junior Excessive College had been bustling.
Make-up, hairdos, wardrobe fittings, interviews — all in preparation for the tenth annual Iowa Miss Wonderful pageant for women and girls with disabilities. The pageant was held Friday and Saturday. Organizers of the occasion describe it as a motion to construct confidence, vanity and friendship.
On stage, glistening crowns and trophies awaited greater than 85 members over the weekend. However first, the ladies and women lined up backstage and shouted a chant to set free some nerves. Then, it was showtime.
“Strike your pose, do no matter you do,” mentioned Ellie Wiskus, 18, of Pella, who was named this yr’s Iowa Miss Wonderful Teen Queen and has participated within the pageant all 10 years.
For Wiskus, that meant a sassy hair flip as she glided throughout the stage in her navy blue, glowing promenade gown.
“Go on the market, be assured and shine brilliant,” Wiskus mentioned.
And that is precisely what they did.
‘I am impressed by every considered one of them’
First up within the pageant had been the eagerness shows, the place the women and girls confirmed simply how gifted they’re.
Like Isabella Arenas, 11, of Ankeny, who showcased her digital paintings, together with a Harry Potter calendar that includes all her favourite characters. She was named this yr’s Iowa Miss Wonderful Preteen Queen.
And like Elyse Ellsbury, 16, of Nice Hill, who carried out spoken phrase poetry that she’d written about being left for adoption in China.
Others did gymnastics. Cheerleading. Danced and sang Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo. Performed devices just like the clarinet and piano. Carried out comedy.
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“12 months after yr, I am unable to actually put it into phrases … I am at all times in shock at how really wonderful and gifted these women are,” the pageant’s director in Iowa, Morgan Tooley, 26, of Omaha, Nebraska, informed the Des Moines Register.
“I’ve seen these women develop up — I am impressed by every considered one of them.”
Iowa Miss Wonderful queens have large desires
Earlier than the pageant concluded, each lady and lady shared their desires with the viewers.
Graduate highschool. Go to varsity. Open up a bowling alley or arcade. Turn out to be a physician. Turn out to be a mother. Turn out to be a swimmer, an actress, an astronaut. Discover a tremendous cute boyfriend. Journey to France, England, Korea. Analysis the treatment to cerebral palsy. Compete within the Particular Olympics. Reside a cheerful life. Make the world a kinder, higher place.
By the top of the occasion, they held their trophies up excessive and wore their crowns on their heads with satisfaction.
“It looks like I am particular,” mentioned Rachel Cogil, 18, of Jamaica. She was final yr’s Iowa Miss Wonderful Teen Queen and, like Wiskus, has participated within the pageant all 10 years.
On the finish of the evening, Tooley introduced all the women and ladies on stage for one remaining chant.
“What are we,” Tooley requested, to which everybody responded:
“Wonderful.”
These six 2022 Iowa Miss Wonderful queens heading to nationals
Six Iowa women and girls had been chosen over the weekend to signify Iowa in Nashville, Tennessee, this summer time for the nationwide Miss Wonderful pageant:
- Preteen: Isabella Arenas, 11, of Ankeny
- Junior Teen: Andrea Capaldo, 14, of Polk Metropolis
- Teen: Ellie Wiskus, 18, of Pella
- Junior Miss: Marissa Christensen, 23, of Stuart
- Miss: Eilise Murray, 26, of Johnston
- Senior Miss: Autumn Weaver, 30, of Boone
Tooley emphasised that whereas not everybody might be competing at nationals, each lady and lady was a queen.
“We would like each lady to really feel like a queen once they go away right here, as a result of they’re queens,” Tooley mentioned. “Each lady will get a crown.”
Andrea Sahouri covers social justice for the Des Moines Register. She could be contacted at asahouri@registermedia.com, on Twitter @andreamsahouri, or by telephone 515-284-8247.