Wendi Brake is the director of the Miss Victory Pageant, a local and national pageant whose number one priority is "for every child to leave our pageant with more self -confidence and self-esteem."
Unlike the pageants that Jo Benet Ramsey entered, the Miss Victory Pageants emphasize "a fair and well-organized system with every contestant leaving with a prize. This is a natural pageant system formed to help girls realize that their natural beauty can win pageants and heavy makeup is not necessary. Clothing, hair and makeup should be age appropriate." Beauty is judged in a Sunday, Easter or Flower Girl dress for contestants 0 - 7 years, 8 - 10 years wear a Party Dress or Formal and 11 years and older wear a Formal. This pageant does not have a talent competition.
I went to the Miss Victory Halloween Pageant to check out the competition. At first, I was a little leery of children being forced to compete for their "mother's and father's egos." However, as I sat there and watched, I was more and more impressed. This was good old wholesome fun and the children were learning poise and skills that are hard to find in this day and age. I admit, some of the parents seemed a little too involved; but most were letting their children just enjoy themselves. In this pageant, everyone has fun because everyone is a winner, one way or another.
The Miss Victory Pageant has branched out to include older contestants. The "Woman of the Year" Pageant has been added that highlights women who are married, divorced or widowed and of any age or size. They are scored in two areas of competition: casual wear and evening gown. They are judged on poise, personality and overall appearance.
Pageant Director Wendy has been involved in pageants all of her life in one capacity or another. When she was young, she competed in local, state and national pageants, and trained in baton, dance, gymnastics, piano and voice. Wendy has had the opportunity to dance in New York, New Orleans and Atlanta on several occasions and won numerous talent titles. She has coached, emceed and judged pageants all over the Southeast. She is a trained makeup artist, having studied in Los Angeles, Birmingham and Atlanta. In Fashion Makeup competition, she has won several events. <o:p> </o:p>
Married with two children, Wendy directs the local school pageant and Miss Victory Pageants, coaches pageant girls, emcees and judges. "I've stayed involved in pageants because of my love for children," she says. "I thoroughly enjoy seeing girls blossom into beautiful young ladies full of self confidence due to the experiences they've had with pageants."
There are Preliminary Pageants each year that lead up to the Miss U.S. Victory National Pageant. For more information on Miss Victory Pageants, you can call 256-325-1258 or email Wendy Brake at msvictorypageants@mail.com.
Miss Victory Halloween Pageant Photos
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