Chloe Fulton, 13, passed the first round in the process to become Miss Teen Canada with flying colours.
Last October the Grade 8 student, who attends Vincent J. Maloney Catholic junior high, was interviewed on SKYPE by Michelle Weswald, a director with Miss Teen Canada and a former Miss Canada 1996.
In November, Weswald emailed Fulton, confirming the girl’s acceptance into the pageant.
“You have a great energy about you. I feel you are someone teens can look up to and be inspired by. So congratulations,” Weswald said in her email.
The interview process took about 15 minutes, Fulton said.
“She explained what would happen and asked questions about what my friends think of me and also whether my brother looks up to me. She asked me what kind of qualities a leader would need to have to be respected,” Fulton recalled.
Fulton discovered the Miss Teen pageant when she searched online to find out about modelling lessons.
On March 17 she will travel to Calgary for a pageant weekend that includes several workshops on modelling, acting, fashion and makeup.
“We’ll learn how to walk on stage and we’ll work with a choreographer,” Fulton said, adding that the dancing portion is especially exciting because she currently takes dancing lessons in St. Albert.
“I want to learn about singing, acting and modelling. That’s what I was searching for. Also we will meet last year’s winners and the new Miss Teen Canada-World,” Fulton said.
Entry into the Miss Teen pageant is expensive. Fulton was required to pay $45 as an entry fee before the SKYPE interview took place and once accepted, a further $791 payment was expected. In addition, she needed an evening gown, a bathing suit and an interview suit.
“My parents bought me an evening gown. It cost $550, but I have to pay my parents back a portion of that and I can use it for my Grade 12 graduation dress,” Fulton said.
But Fulton justifies the expense because except for dancing, she is not involved in any extra activities outside of school.
“It seems really cool and when I did the research, all the former contestants said that it was a great experience and they learned a lot,” Fulton said.
