Miss Collegiate International: Pageants and Parades

CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SISTER, ALISON FOLSOM, MISS MAINE’S OUTSTANDING TEEN 2011!! Saturday was certainly an exciting day, beginning with a fabulous parade through downtown Saco and ending with the 75^th annual Miss Maine and Miss Maine’s Outstanding Teen Pageants in Brunswick.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to take part in Thornton Academy’s Summer Festival, a day-long celebration for the school’s 200 year anniversary. The parade kicked off Saturday’s festivities, beginning in Pepperell Square and continuing to Thornton’s front lawn for the raising of the flag. Taking part in the parade were The Saco Jets, the Thornton Academy band, Thornton cheerleaders, students from Fairfield, Burns and Young Schools, a horse-drawn Oakhurst Dairy cart and several antique cars. I followed the Saco Jets at the front of the lineup and took a few moments to catch up with my former coach and pose with the twirlers before the parade began. I was a Saco Jet myself for seven years and enjoyed my time as a twirler. Unfortunately, I forgot my baton at home on Saturday, so I had to stick to waving rather than twirling.

Thornton Academy is my alma mater and I consider it THE best high school in the State of Maine (There’s no debating with me when it comes to that matter!). I enjoyed my four years there and appreciated all of the academic and extracurricular opportunities I was afforded as a TA student. Taking part in Thornton’s Bicentennial Celebration was a treat! For more information on Thornton’s year-long bicentennial celebration, visit https://www.thorntonacademy.org/bicentennial/.

Now, on to Saturday night! The evening’s production was exciting and energetic and I enjoyed catching up with several former Miss Maines and Miss Maine’s Outstanding Teens before the show. All of the Miss and Teen contestants did a fabulous job! It was tremendous to see how much many of the girls’ confidence and performing skills have improved over the years. At the end of the evening I was elated to see my younger sister, Alison Folsom, crowned Miss Maine’s Outstanding Teen!! Alison will spend her year supporting Children’s Miracle Network, promoting her personal platform—Help Homeless Animals: Adopt, Donate, Volunteer—and making singing appearances (On the topic of adoption, we currently have three adorable foster kittens at our house that are almost big enough to move into new homes. If you live in Southern or Central Maine and you’re looking for a new kitten friend, please contact me!). In August, Ali will travel to Orlando for the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. I will be there to cheer her on all week long! MAOT sorority sisters—Let me know if you’ll be there this year as well!

I’d also like to congratulate our new Miss Maine, Julia Furtado, a 19-year-old UNE student from Dayton, who will represent the State of Maine at the Miss America Pageant in January. Both Alison and Julia have an exciting year to look forward to, and I’m sure they will each do extremely well at their national pageants!

Now, here’s what’s coming up:

ND High School and Collegiate Pageants--July 8-10

FL High School and Collegiate Pageants—July 15

TX High School and Collegiate Pageants—July 15-16

Maine Egg Festival Pageant (A Maine High and Collegiate Prelim)—July 13^th

P & L Pageant (A Maine High and Collegiate Prelim)—July 16^th

Miss Maine High School and Collegiate Pageant—August 6^th (Visit http://www.breathemaine.org/mmhs/ for more information!)

And have you stopped by the Miss High School America/Miss Collegiate America YouTube Channel? Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/MissHSAmericaBTS