Volume 6 -  March 23, 2017
Sterling Miss Contestants' Newsletter
1 WEEK Out To Crowning!!!!!

Oh my goodness....this past week has flown by!  This time next week, we will be busy at the Sheraton preparing for your arrrival!   We can harldy wait to see you all  Please,please review over last week's newsletter about the check-in process.  It will make Saturday morning flow so much easier!

I will be out of town starting early tomorrow morning and will be unavailable by phone. I will have very limited email access. I will be back in the office early Monday and will respond quickly to any emails and calls at that time. 

HOTEL: The last day to get your room discount at the Sheraton is on March 27th!
Call today.


NOTE in SCHEDULING:  By mistake I stated in a previous newsletter that Little Miss contestants would be in panel interview.  The Petite and Little Miss will BOTH be in Round Robin Interviews!!!!!  Please disregard the previous info.
  Meet Nora Kate Edwards
Sterling Tiny Miss USA
Although we don't offer a tiny miss age division in Sterling Miss anymore, we couldn't let this time go by without giving everyone a chance to meet our precious Tiny Miss- 2 year old Nora Kate.  She won everyone' s hearts last year from the moment she took to the stage and starting dancing to "UPTOWN FUNK" during our pageant's opening number.

  
Nora will be with us on Sunday for the finale.

Nora's candid shot from the queens' photo shoot  by Jack Bains, Southern Exposure. H&M by Brittney Shelton
Quiet time with a favorite pacy puts it all into perspective.  


PJ's and Pizza Welcome Party for Contestants on Saturday Night
After the optionals and rehearsals Saturday evening, it will be time to wind down and hang out with your sister contestants at our annual Pizza and PJ's welcome party for the Contestants.   Get comfy, put on your fuzzy slippers, and join us back in the ballroom from 6:00- 7:00 p.m.   For safety, a PARENT or GUARDIAN must come to the ballroom to pick up  contestants when the party ends.  




Sterling Miss T-Shirt

Several of you have asked about the t-shirts. The really cute RED
t-shirts are to be worn with your choice of jeans or jean shorts with comfortable shoes. Last year,some contestant wore flats or tennis shoes for rehearsals and then changed to wedges, flats or colored shoes like Converse for the actress competition. You will get your shirt at registration and can quickly change into it before the contestant orientation in the contestant's dressing room. If you are competing in the Best Actress optional, you will wear your t-shirt for that phase of competition.


 

Final Thoughts on What to Pack:
Start by thinking in order of the day:

Check In on Saturday Morning 
All your paperwork in order of the check in process (waiver forms, resume (6 copies), optional cards, photogenic entries, community service booklet, and  scholastic forms (if entering these
two free optionals)   (see reminder story below)
Your $100 CASH Scholarship money (in $20's)
Orientation: Pen, paper, and schedule of events
A Copy of your EVENT SCHEDULE  (CLICK ON SCHEDULE)
Rehearsals: your pageant shoes to practice your walks
Optionals:
 Talent music on CD or thumb drive, walking shoes for casual wear/ fun fashion
Pizza & PJ's Welcome Party:    PJ's, slippers, and a camera!

Sunday:
Interview dress, shoes and jewelry (if needed)
Comfy clothes and shoes to change into for final rehearsals
Onstage into and production number short white dress with NUDE shoes
Formal gown, shoes and any accessories
Crown and sash for group photo before the pageant.A
Admission tickets

AFTER THE PAGEANT, if your contestant wins her division tile and/or cover girl title,  she and her new sister queens will need to stay dressed in their formal gowns for photos onstage by Jack Bains. After the formal photos, they will change quickly into their white cocktail dressed for a few more quick photos.  
Then the parents and I will go into the judges' room (room L) located next to the dressing rooms. The girls can change and quickly meet us back in the meeting room. We will go over a few things briefly and sign the queens' contracts. 
Please review the contract below and be ready with any questions you may have.
We promise to get you out quickly!


$100 SCHOLARSHIP FEE DUE AT CHECK IN
A $100 Scholarship Fee is to be paid in CASH by each contestant at check in on Saturday morning . Please make it payable in $20 bills, so it can be easily divided up. This money is collected per age division and is payable to the winner and alternates. The amount earned by each winner and alternate is determined by the number of entries int the division.

NOTE: Parents are to pick up their contestant's scholarship winnings and sign a form stating they have done so from the stage after the pageant. We do not hand the contestant the actual cash on the stage for fear it could be lost in the celebration.




The amazing Jack Bains of Southern Exposure Photography will be shooting all the action on pageant weekend, so look him up on Facebook to get your photo package deal! Jack is one of the top national pageant photographers in the United States, and we are blessed to have him as a sponsor again this year. You will definitely want his photos after the pageant, so don't miss this special.

We have also set the date for the 2017 Sterling Miss USA Queens' Photo Shoot for Sunday, June 4th- so mark your calendars because if you win the crown....you will need to get ready for a fun-filled photo shoot day.  Jack will be working his magic behind the camera to get the very best photos of our queens individually and as a group...and Brittney Shelton will be working beforehand to make sure our queens look their Sterling best!  Rounding out the look will be the gorgeous gowns worn by our queens from Glitz and Gowns by Missy!  With all these great sponsors, our new queens are going to rock that photo shoot.
    

To make your reservation, click on the link or  call the hotel at (205) 324-5000. Make sure that you ask for the special $119 STERLING MISS HOTEL RATE!

You do NOT pay for your hotel when you make your reservation! 

http://www.sheratonbirmingham.com/hotelfeatures

The last day to book your hotel room and get your Sterling Miss discounted rate is Wednesday
March 23rd.
The  Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center is located at 2101 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd., North in Birmingham, Alabama.

The hotel, located in the Birmingham Uptown Entertainment District, is just 10 minutes from the Birmingham International Airport and is connected to the Jefferson County Convention Center. The hotel also offers a fitness center, indoor pool, and four restaurants and cafes'.
Pageant Vendors Onsite
We are excited that some great pageant vendors will be with us during pageant weekend. Please be sure to visit their booths located just outside of the ballroom during pageant weekend and thank them for being there!  Their participation helps us keep the costs down for the pageant.  Vendors continue to sign up, but here are just a few who will be with us:

Jamberry
Lasting Impression Jewelry & Accessories (Paparazzi Accessories)
Lipsense
Magnabilities
Mary Kay
Perfectly Posh
Pink Zebra
Plexus
Scentsy
Spray Tans by Tasha
Southern Exposure Photography
Sterling Boutique
The Tiny Closet
Young Living Essential Oils



Stay tuned for next week's final Contestant Newsletter when we discuss pageant tips, pageant weekend and more! Have an idea of something you would like to see covered? Let me know at sterlingmisspageant@hotmail.com
Sterling Miss Productions | 334.313.5444 |   SterlingMissPageant@hotmail.com |  www.SterlingMiss.org