The Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

Magazine of July 21st, 2005

Dear Miss Florida USA Family:

Welcome to another edition of YOUR Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA Magazine YOUR information source for everything pageantry in the Sunshine State. With Miss Florida USA behind us all the eyes are now on our Miss Florida Teen USA Victoria Ratliff as she leaves next week for Baton Rouge and The Miss Teen USA Pageant. She looks and feels fantastic as Florida is ready to rock on the national level! Daily reports from our national championship of teen pageantry begins next Thursday only at www.missfloridausa.com. The only daily reports from Miss Teen USA.

This weeks Miss Florida USA Ezine features World Pageant News about both a very controversial and inspirational pageant taking place this weekend. We also have the latest winner from Ohio on The Road to Miss USA. Faces & Places reports on the latest from OUR Miss USA and The Miss Florida USA Corner has everything you need to know about next weeks North Florida Teen USA Super Pageant. All the pageant news that fits to print updated on Thursdays and Fridays only at YOUR Miss Florida USA Ezine, the only Ezine in the pageant world!

Grant H. Gravitt, Jr.

Executive Producer

Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

70 Days until Miss FL Teen USA!

PAGEANT NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

» WORLD PAGEANT NEWS
After uproar, Ms. Wheelchair America opens pageant

By JESSICA M. PASKO
Associated Press Writer

ALBANY, N.Y. -- After a controversy that raised the question of just how disabled a contestant must be to earn the title "Ms. Wheelchair," the 33rd annual national pageant opens Tuesday.
Wisconsin will be represented, but not by Janeal Lee _ a 30-year-old high school teacher who suffers from muscular dystrophy. After the state pageant in April, a newspaper published a photograph of Lee standing in her classroom and pageant officials stripped her of the title, saying candidates must "mostly be seen in public" using their wheelchairs or scooters. Lee said at the time that she uses a scooter as her primary mode of transport but can stand while teaching and walk up to 50 feet on a good day. Lee said Monday she hasn't given the pageant much thought since being dethroned. "I think it is a good idea in theory, but I'm not so sure how well it's being executed," she said. Advocacy groups and individuals called the Wisconsin decision unjust while the pageant's first runner-up, Michelle Kearney, refused the title in protest, making second-runner up Kim Jerman the winner. Lee's sister, Sharon Spring, gave up her title of Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota in protest, and a coordinator of the Minnesota pageant also quit. Three former Ms. Wheelchair America titleholders, Cinda Hughes (2004), Catherine Gugal (2003), and Christina Gilmore (1999) spoke out against the board's actions. Jerman, 30, who has cerebral palsy and has never walked, maintained people who do not use a wheelchair all the time should not be allowed to compete. "I feel that it is unfortunate on how I received the title," she said in April. "It is not fair for me who needs a wheelchair all day. It is named Ms. Wisconsin Wheelchair for a reason. It is not named Ms. Disability."

Pat O'Bryant, the national Ms. Wheelchair program's executive director, said she and the board of directors would not comment on the Wisconsin controversy. The pageant is a forum for promoting the achievements and needs of women who use wheelchairs, not a beauty pageant. The winner serves as a spokeswoman, traveling around the country to raise awareness of issues related to disabilities. Winners from twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia will participate. To participate, a woman must be a U.S. citizen who has lived in her home state for at least six months prior, be between the ages of 21 and 60, and use a wheelchair for all mobility outside the home. Contestants are judged on "their accomplishments, self-perception, communication and projection skills in personal and onstage interviews," according to the organization's Web site. Contestants will also deliver a platform speech about overcoming their disabilities and their own efforts to promote awareness of the issues they face. The six-day event includes public speaking workshops, nightly social events, resume judging, luncheons, speakers, a trade show featuring products and programs useful to those who use wheelchairs, and state coordinator meetings. An Ohio physician established Ms. Wheelchair America in 1972. The nonprofit program is voluntarily staffed and coordinated by individuals around the country. Judging begins Thursday with the coronation set for Saturday night. On the Net: http://www.mswheelchairamerica.org

MISS FL USA NEWS!

» Seminar/Pretape Weekend & Pageant Directors Weekends Switched

Due to scheduling conflicts with Miss Florida Teen USA Victoria Ratliff’s appearance in Memphis at the St. Jude’s National Charity Fashion Show we will have to switch pretape weekend and our Directors Annual Meeting along with Pageant University. Now we have the Miss Florida Teen USA Seminar Day (mandatory for titleholders) Saturday August 27^th at The Hollywood Production Center in Hollywood. Pretape weekend will wrap around Seminar Day with shoots Thursday, Friday and Sunday. They will feature the delegates in their opening numbers; prize tapes and other fun stuff we haven’t thought of yet! Pageant University and The Miss Florida USA Preliminary Directors Meeting will now be held Saturday August 20^th also on The Hollywood Production Center Soundstages. Pageant University for first time directors will take place from 9:00am until 12:30pm. The directors meeting will start after a special thank you luncheon. Reports from both events will be right here at YOUR Miss Florida USA Ezine.

» North Florida Super Teen USA Pageant Next Weekend!

Debonair Creations proudly presents the first ever North Florida Teen USA Super Pageant! Three titles and entries into Miss Florida Teen USA and the chance to be a part of The Debonair Divas! The titles of Miss St. Augustine Teen USA; Miss Duval County Teen USA and Miss North Florida Teen USA are up for grabs. The one-day event takes place next Sunday July 21^st with a cap of twenty contestants for the three titles. For more information email DebonairDivas@yahoo.com or call 407-310-9106.

Miss North Florida Teen USA Super Pageant

July 31, 2005 Jacksonville,

FloridaBethelite Conference Center

5865 Arlington Expressway

Jacksonville, Florida 32211

» 2007 Miss Florida USA Preliminary Season Schedule

Oct. 8/9

Miss West Coast USA & Miss West Coast Teen USA Pageants

Dec 3

North Florida Super Pageant (Tallahassee/Emerald Coast/Panhandle)

Dec 4

Miss Sunset Place USA & Miss Sunset Place Teen USA Pageants

Jan 29

Miss Hollywood USA & Miss Hollywood Teen USA Pageants

April 8

Miss Palm Beach County/Miss Gold Coast USA Pageants

» 2007 Miss Florida USA Preliminary Season Schedule

Oct. 8/9

Miss West Coast USA & Miss West Coast Teen USA Pageants

Dec 3

North Florida Super Pageant (Tallahassee/Emerald Coast/Panhandle)

Dec 4

Miss Sunset Place USA & Miss Sunset Place Teen USA Pageants

Jan 29

Miss Hollywood USA & Miss Hollywood Teen USA Pageants

April 8

Miss Palm Beach County/Miss Gold Coast USA Pageants

» STATE PAGEANT CORNER

NEW MISS FLORIDA USA IMPORTANT DATES CALENDAR:

Finally we have put together a calendar with all of the important dates for this year’s Miss Florida USA Pageant. Look for it’s permanent home every week at YOUR Miss Florida USA Ezine.

August 20

Miss Florida Teen USA Seminar Day

August 25 – 28

Miss Florida Teen USA Pretape Weekend

August 27

Pageant University 9:00am

August 27

Miss Florida USA Preliminary Directors Meeting

September 30

Miss Florida Teen USA Registration and Interview Competition

October 1

Miss Florida Teen USA Preliminary Competition

October 2

Miss Florida Teen USA Finals

» ELEGIBILITY STATUS

Miss Florida Teen USA

Delegates Entered: 35

Delegates Eligible: 61

Eligibility for Miss Florida Teen USA Pageant:

The season started with qualifiers from the past year. All of each pageants top15 qualify along with Miss Amity & Miss Photogenic. Each preliminary pageant qualifies delegates as “at large” status with their finalist, amity, photogenic and peoples choice awards.

MISS FLORIDA USA AIRINGS THIS WEEKEND

PENSACOLA/MOBILE

WFGX-WB Channel35

TBD

ROAD TO MISS USA

Miss Washington County

crowned Miss Ohio USA 2006

The Marietta (Ohio) Times

Stacy Offenberger, Miss Washington County,

was the winner in Saturday’s Miss Ohio USA

2006 pageant.

PORTSMOUTH — Miss Washington County, Stacy Offenberger, was the winner in Saturday’s Miss Ohio USA 2006 pageant and will go on to represent Ohio in the Miss USA pageant in Atlantic City next spring.

Offenberger, 26, was crowned at the conclusion of the competition, which was held Saturday at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the campus of Shawnee State University in Portsmouth. She competed against 76 other contestants from throughout Ohio.

“After many years of working in pageants, I feel confident that Stacy will be a great representation of the state of Ohio,” said Melissa Pitchford, executive state director for the Miss Universe Organization. “I know she will make us proud as she goes on to compete for the title of Miss USA in March.”

The first runner-up in Saturday’s pageant was Stephanie Albrecht of Portsmouth. She will assume the duties of Miss Ohio USA 2006 if for some reason Offenberger cannot fulfill her responsibilities.

The second runner-up was Erin Jeffrey of Harrison, Ohio; the third runner-up was Alison Liscoe of Richfield, Ohio; and the fourth runner-up was Missy Kohut of Mahoning County, Ohio.

Offenberger is the daughter of Joyce Offenberger and Larry Offenberger, both of Vincent. She is a 1998 graduate of Warren High School. She won the organization’s Miss Ohio Teen USA 1998 pageant and made three attempts before winning the Miss Ohio USA title. She was third runner-up in both the Miss Ohio USA 2004 and the Miss Ohio USA 2005 pageants.