In her first-ever pageant in the Miss America system, Liberty resident Bobbi Bagby came away with the title of Miss Trenton 2003.
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In her first-ever pageant in the Miss America system, Liberty resident Bobbi Bagby came away with the title of Miss Trenton 2003.
Miss Bagby was a little stunned when her named was called during Saturday night’s competition, but says she ready to forge ahead as she prepares to represent Trenton in the Miss Missouri Pageant this summer.
“I was a little overwhelmed,” Miss Bagby said. “Having never been in a pageant before, I wasn’t really sure what might happen. It was different than I had pictured it to be, but it was a very positive experience and I had lots of fun, especially with the contestants.”
Miss Bagby’s foray into pageants was sort of a fluke, being prodded into competition by a family friend who is also a good friend of local pageant producer Steve Maxey.
“A family friend who had been involved in the pageant system for years was at a New Year’s Eve Party a year ago and said I had to do a pageant,” she said. “He particularly pushed the Miss Trenton Pageant because he knew I would have a good experience, which I did. So, here I was.”
Miss Bagby won three of the four overall preliminary competitions, including talent, evening wear and swimsuit. For talent, the 20-year-old Chicago College of Performing Arts junior sang “Give Me, Give Me” from the musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Talent, she said, was the most favorite part of the competition while waiting was the hardest.
“I’ve been performing all of my life, so the talent competition was just sort of a natural thing for me,” she said. “But it was the waiting to hear how you did that was hard.”
Miss Bagby’s pageant platform is “Promoting Arts Education,” a subject she holds near and dear to her heart.
“As an arts student, I’ve seen how important arts has been to me and to others around me and there’s just so much arts has to offer for everyone,” she said. “I think it is very important to integrate the use of arts in all core curriculum in an educational setting and it can be easily done. It provides a more creative approach to subjects for students, who will long remember what they’ve learned when you make it fun, which is what the arts can do. It also helps students gain a respect for the arts as well.”
Preparation for the Miss Missouri Pageant this summer has already begun, with Miss Bagby noting that the judges have already offered some advice.
“I had a couple of the judges come up and make some suggestions, while others said for me to call them later and they would visit more in depth,” she said. “I’m just really excited about winning the title and getting the chance to go to Miss Missouri.”
Named as first runner-up was Amber Etheridge of Springfield. The second runner-up was Regina Laughlin of Linn. Named third runner-up was Amber Wendel of Kearney. The fourth runner-up was Rachel Espey of Maryville.