She's a 'natural'

Debra Riordan is still dragging after the All American Girl Pageant late last month.

After three straight days of events - casual wear, evening wear, interviews, banquets - she doesn't even want to think about outfit changes or choreography.

"We thought we would get some R and R, but it seriously encapsulated the whole weekend," Debra said of the Seattle event. "I spent the whole next day recuperating."

And she never even had to appear on stage.

In fact, it was her 7-year-old daughter Janessa who competed in the tri-state competition in Washington, and who was crowned All American Mini Miss for the state of Idaho.

It was the Coeur d'Alene girl's first pageant, Debra said.

"She's very mature for her age, very kind to others," Debra guessed of why Janessa took home the crown, a $1,000 scholarship and trophy nearly as tall as her. "And she's kind of cute."

The 40-year-old mother admitted she was a little leery of the pre-adolescent pageant world.

She only gave in to her daughter's pleading to compete after discovering All-American Girl, a "Natural" pageant where contestants are disqualified for enhancements like fake hair, fake eyelashes, fake teeth or makeup.

"I liked it because it was no-glitz. I don't like the ones (pageants) where the girls look like adults," Debra said.

Their introduction to the pageant subculture still had plenty of surprises, she said.

Like the $1,500 entry fee, for one, as well as cost of hotel and travel. Not to mention the endless preparation for the interview portion, Janessa's introduction speech, the casual wear and evening wear and poise segments.

"A girlfriend and I choreographed her talent," she said of Janessa's poem recital with props.

But Janessa was up for all of it.

The slender first-grader from Coeur d'Alene Christian Academy was still eager last week to dress up in her evening wear and demonstrate the introduction speech choreography.

Step, twirl, smile, speech: She wants to be a vet, and she likes picking flowers and eating sushi.

"Her dad showed her how (to eat sushi)," Debra explained. "She's the only one of my kids who likes it."

Janessa competed with nine other girls in her age group.

All the prepping was worthwhile, Debra said, to see her daughter win the overall trophy.

"When they called her name, she gasped and covered her mouth and froze," Debra said.

Janessa will go on to compete in the National All American Girl Pageant this August in Portland, Ore., with free accommodations and a limousine ride.

She will also make appearances at local community events for the rest of the year.

It's a much-needed self-esteem boost for mother and daughter both, Debra said, after Janessa's father died last January of a heart attack on her birthday.

"There's been a lot of sadness. She misses him a lot," said Debra, a stay-at-home mom. "This is something she could be excited about and just be positive about."

Athol girl also wins title

Janessa also made a new friend - 9-year-old Jaelyn Hennig of Athol, who was crowned Idaho Little Miss at the pageant, the all-around title for her age group.

The Athol Elementary third-grader has been competing in Natural pageants for five years, said her mother Ada Rose-Hennig.

"It's very exciting. She has been trying for overall titles since she was 4," Ada said, adding that Jaelyn wanted to enter pageants after seeing a family member compete.

The Athol girl participates in several pageants a year, her mother said, including at national and international levels.

Natural pageants are beneficial for little girls, Ada said, because of their focus on speaking and interview skills.

To prepare, Ada and Jaelyn practice with question cards and a stopwatch.

"The interview is Jaelyn's favorite. She gets almost giddy at her chance to sit down with judges and talk," Ada said. "I can say she's 9 years old and I feel she interviews better than most adults. She knows how to present herself in a professional manner, and knows how to answer questions in a complete sentence."

There's no questioning that the pageant life is tiring, she acknowledged with a laugh, what with writing speeches, getting sponsors for advertisement pages, picking out dresses, getting alterations and having photos taken.

"There's a lot that goes into it," Ada said. "There's no sleeping during pageant weekends for the moms."