Confidently beautiful: Vermont pageants show that beauty is more than skin deep

What comes to mind when you think of beauty queens and pageant girls?

The stereotypical response: Tall, blonde and skinny.

But not all women who compete in pageants are that girl.

Under the makeup, glitz and glam, some of the young women who competed in the Miss Vermont USA and Miss Vermont Teen USA pageants this month at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe are aspiring doctors, lawyers, skydivers or wildlife biologists, among other things.

“When people meet us, they are so surprised,” said Tammy Vujanovic.

“They are so shocked that we are smart,” added Neely Fortune.

Fortune, who won the Miss Vermont USA 2016 title a year ago, has used her reign to try to break the stereotypes.

She began competing in pageants as a junior in college, three years ago. Looking for a way to improve her public speaking, Fortune stumbled upon Miss Vermont USA, and decided to give it a shot.

Never having been in pageants before, at 22, she prepared herself to strap on a pair of heels, don an evening gown or swimsuit, and walk the runway in front of a panel of judges — and an audience. The next year, she took home the sash, the crown, and an opportunity to empower other young women to embrace who they are.

“I am a wildlife biologist, and most of my life is spent in workout clothes, covered in dirt,” Fortune said. “This is so different from my daily life, and I want to break the stereotypes of who people think women in pageants should be.”

Vujanovic, Miss Teen Vermont USA 2016, is a first-generation American. She is just finishing her senior year at South Burlington High School and plans to get a college degree in pharmacy.

Vujanovic stepped into the limelight the same year as Fortune, and while eight years her junior, they became friends during the process. The women both earned runner-up in their respective pageants their first year, and won together the next. They accomplished their goal, and promoted a similar message.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from,” Vujanovic said. “What matters is being the best version of yourself. … Sometimes there is a pressure to be a different person when you win, to be a model, to be skinny, but you don’t have to be. Just be yourself; that’s why you won.”

Miss Vermont USA and Miss Vermont Teen USA— not to be confused with Miss Vermont, which sends a representative to the Miss America Pageant — are affiliates of the Miss Universe Organization, which works to empower women to develop the confidence they need to achieve their personal best, because, they say, a confident woman has the power to make real change, starting in her local community with the potential to reach a global audience.

The organization’s goal is to encourage every woman to step out of her comfort zone and be herself.

Its slogan “confidently beautiful” empowered 30 young women to take the stage on Nov. 19 and 20 at Spruce Peak to show off their beauty — both inside and out — while competing for the 2017 crown, and a chance to travel and promote their own message.

The pageant is about “challenging yourself, and putting yourself out there,” contestant Holly Battaglia said.

“All of the girls are intelligent, glamorous and poised,” said contestant Carley Rotter. “A lot of it is about health and fitness and, yes, hair and makeup, but it is also about friendship.”

The active-wear competition for teens focuses on beauty of face, figure, physical fitness and confidence, as does the swimwear competition for Miss Vermont USA.

The interview competition gave the judges a chance to learn about each girl’s talents, successes, goals and ambitions. They were judged by their poise, charm, confidence, ability to communicate, and the substance of their answers.

In the evening gown competition, the girls donned dresses that they had chosen for themselves. The judges focused on each contestant’s overall appearance, self-confidence and sense of style.

“It’s all about finding a gown that makes you feel beautiful,” said Neely. “It’s really not about the gown. It’s about the girl in the gown.”

Those girls were Grace Manning, a student at Community College of Vermont; Brianna Arduca, a senior at Rutland High School aspiring for a career in political science; Kelsey Golonka, a Montpelier teen aspiring to be a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit; Daniella Doolen, a student at Castleton University working toward a teaching degree; and others hoping to be psychologists, accountants, commercial pilots and even a skydive photographer.

The contestants aren’t just pretty faces, competing to represent Vermont, and maybe the country if the winner goes on to win the title of Miss USA or Miss Teen USA next summer. They are role models for young women across the United States.

“The pageants show you that people can find beauty in anyone, and you don’t have to be perfect,” said contestant Yasmine West.

The winner will have appearance opportunities over the next year, representing sponsors and charitable organizations.

“It’s important for the winner to find something she is passionate about, and make the next year meaningful. It’s more than just the dresses; it’s about promoting change,” said Vujanovic.

“Can’t — the most exciting adventures begin with this word. Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. As an endurance runner, I donned my sash in the Vermont 100. I worked Spartan races, and I worked to shatter stigmas,” said Fortune.

“If I leave here first or last, it doesn’t matter, because I’ve made so many new friends,” said Arduca, the Rutland High senior.

Arduca took fifth place in the Miss Vermont Teen USA competition. Emma Hoey took fourth, Bethany Garrow third and Grace Manning second.

Kelsey Golonka took the crown, and Vujanovic ceremoniously passed to her the title of Miss Vermont Teen USA.

In the Miss Vermont USA competition, fifth place went to Joanna Nagle. Alyssa Sopenasky took fourth, Erin Connor third, and Maia-Jena Allo second.

The winner of the Miss Vermont USA 2017 was Madison Cota, and Fortune passed on her title, giving Cota a crown and sash of her own. Fortune reminded the winners that “if we challenge the societal norms, we can see a change for women in this country. It’s not just about the sparkly hat.”

You don’t even have to be a title holder to promote change if it’s something you believe in, Fortune said.