Teaching beauty pageants goes beyond skin deep : The University Daily Kansan

Staci Klinginsmith can’t help it, but when the National American Miss Kansas Pageant rolls around next month she knows she will be on the edge of her seat. Klinginsmith, Overland Park senior, has been competing in beauty pageants since she was young, but the last several years she has put her performing dreams on hold.

To help pay for college, Klinginsmith now trains younger contestants for the pageant.

“I get more nervous watching the girls compete than when I actually compete because I invest so much time and energy in helping them succeed,” Klinginsmith said. “It feels like they are my children on stage.”

One thing that bothers Klinginsmith is the stereotypes others have regarding beauty pageants.

“People just think we are pretty girls without anything going on upstairs,” Klinginsmith said.

Klinginsmith, who plans to graduate next year with a business finance degree, said that beauty pageants helped prepare girls for life in the real world.

Natalie Hays, one of the girls Klinginsmith trains, said before she started competing, she was terrified of public speaking, but now because of the pageants she said she has become a better communicator. Klinginsmith said the pageants were designed to teach girls self-confidence.

Teaching beauty pageants goes beyond skin deep : The University Daily Kansan

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