By Brooke Curley
brooke@gilavalleycentral.net
SAFFORD- With this year’s preliminary pageant marking 25 years of the contest, smiling faces and high hopes celebrated this year’s addition to the Cinderella Royalty.
Five young ladies were chosen as the 2018 EA Royalty on Saturday the the David M Player Center for the Arts. Also, every girl who participated in the preliminary event earned the right to compete in the Arizona Cinderella State Finals with a paid entry fee. The local royalty now represents the Eastern Arizona at the state competition, but will also be the local representation throughout the year. The next step, which is the Cinderella state finals, is a week long and will be held in June, with the international contest being held in Texas in late July.
Contributed photo/ Courtesy of Loretta McCray: Winners photo back row left to right – Jordyn Lawson, Jolissa Langley, Adrianna Throop
back row left to right – Kamille Bernal, Eleanor Throop.
The Eastern Arizona Cinderella Pageant program is a developmental program in a pageant form.
Participants of the competition performed a wide variety of talents which included singing, performing monologues, ventriloquism, and dancing. At the start of the competition, the girls begin with a backstage interview with a panel of three judges to present their personality, as well as confidence and poise. After this, the participants were given two onstage modeling presentations which included party dress and casual wear. The show finished with the farewell walking and speeches of the 2017 Royalty, followed by the 2018 crowning.
Contributed photo/ Courtesy of Loretta McCray: In addition to an overall winner in each age division, one overall “Covergirl” is chosen from photos submitted for the optional “CoverGirl” competition. This year’s winner was Tot Eleanor Throop.
EA Cinderella Woman Jolissa Langley, 18, said that she is excited to have received her title and that it requires an immense amount of personal persistence.
“I believe to achieve your dreams you must give it your all. I am so excited to have earned my title and I cannot wait to see what this year holds with my new Cinderella sisters,” Langley said. “All of the girls I met had amazing talent and warm hearts.”
Statements by local Cinderella participants:
EA Cinderella Tot Eleanor Throop, 4, “I Love Cinderella!”
EA Cinderella Miniature Miss Kamille Bernal, 7, “I feel amazing because I really love doing the Cinderella Pageant, it makes me beautiful on the inside. I love it with all my heart”.
EA Cinderella Miss Adrianna Throop, 10, “Cinderella isn’t about winning, it’s about making memories and I am so excited for all the memories I will get to make this year!”
For more information about the Eastern Arizona Cinderella Pageant click here. Anyone wishing to be added to the local EA Cinderella email for information about next year’s pageant, or the annual Baby pageant for girls birth – 3 years (in March, date TBD) can email eapageants@gmail.com
2018 Eastern Arizona Winners List
2018 EA Overall Tot Eleanor Throop Safford
Tot Personality Winner Rori Jo Davis Duncan
Tot Beauty Winner McKenzie Hoopes Safford
Tot Photogenic Winner Ellie Herrera Safford
1st Alternate Tot Personality Mila Martin Safford
1st Alternate Tot Beauty Zayanna Merino Safford
2018 EA Overall Miniature Miss Kamille Bernal Morenci
Mini Miss Talent Winner Mattie Roberts – Safford
Mini Miss Photogenic Winner Mattie Roberts – Safford
2018 EA Overall Miss Adrianna Throop Safford
Miss Talent Winner Jasenya Masterson – Thatcher
Miss Beauty Winner Jade Marble – Safford
Tied for Miss Photogenic
Photogenic Winner Cieanna Macias – Safford
Nicolette Bennette – Morenci
2018 EA Overall Teen Jordyn Lawson – Safford
Miss Talent Winner Serenity Whitmer – Safford
Teen Photogenic Winner Jordyn Lawson – Safford
Teen Scoresheet participant Brooklyn Armijo – Safford
2018 EA Overall Woman Jolissa Langley – Safford
2018 EA Covergirl Winner Eleanor Throop – Safford
Gila Valley Central would like to thank Loretta McCray for her many contributions to this article.
