The Commercial-News, Danville, IL

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June 16, 2008

Local girls compete in state pageants

Contestants represent Hoopeston, Bismarck

BY CAROL HICKS

HOOPESTON — Three Hoopeston girls and one Bismarck teen are set to challenge all contenders at the Dellora A. Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles during the 2008 Miss Illinois Pageant, which starts Tuesday.

Alexandra Hasbargen, 2007 Miss Hoopeston, will compete for the first time this year in the Miss Illinois Pageant, which runs through Saturday.

The offer to compete from the Miss America circuit will allow all future Miss Hoopestons to compete in the Miss Illinois Pageant and possibly in the Miss America Pageant.

“It’s an amazing opportunity,” Hasbargen said, “one I never thought I would have.”

She admitted she was a little nervous and added, “It is scary to go up against these girls, some of which have been doing this for years.”

Hasbargen, in the Omega group, will compete in the talent and evening gown competition Wednesday evening, in the interview competition Thursday morning, and in the on-stage question and swimsuit competitions Thursday evening.

Part of Hasbargen’s requirements was to find a local girl to compete in the Miss Illinois Princess Pageant held during the Miss Illinois competition.

Not only did she find one, she found two girls from Hoopeston for the Miss Illinois Princess Pageant and one from Bismarck for the Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen Pageant.

Competing in the Miss Illinois Princess Pageant for ages 5 to 12 are Terra and Asti Scharlach, both of Hoopeston, and Jordan Arford of Bismarck who will compete in the Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen Pageant.

Sisters, Terra Scharlach, 12, and Asti Scharlach, 7, daughters of Denise and Tim Scharlach of Hoopeston, will compete for the first time in a pageant at the Miss Illinois Princess Pageant.

“They were both really excited,” Denise said, “because they know it’s a big deal.”

The Scharlach family hosts the National Sweetheart Pageant queens each year during the Hoopeston National Sweetcorn Festival held annually at the end of August.

The Scharlach girls have been exposed to pageant competitions; even though they have not participated in any competitions themselves.

Jordan Arford, daughter of Greg and Omekia Arford of Bismarck, will compete in the Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen Pageant.

Arford, 15, said she has been competing in pageants since she was 3 years old. She has competed in the National America Miss Pageant, Miss Junior Vermilion County Pageant, Dream Girls USA, and Hoopeston’s Little Miss Sweetcorn Pageant.

FOR TICKETS

To order pageant tickets, call the Norris Center box office at (630) 584-7200, ext. 10.

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