Miss Teen Trinity-Conception pageant celebrating 20th anniversary

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Miss Teen Trinity-Conception pageant was held for the first time at the Trinity-Conception Fall Fair in 2005. It came about after girls too young to compete for Miss Newfoundland and Labrador expressed an interest in getting involved. It was planned to be a one-time event.
Sabrina Jenkins, who had been involved with the Fall Fair for many years, took over as the pageant’s coordinator after the first winner was crowned.
“It kind of worked out so well that I said maybe we should keep going with it, do something more, to kind of take it and keep going with,” she said. “So here we are 20 years later and it’s still going.”
The pageant involves girls 13 to 18 years old. In 2013, the committee established the Trinity-Conception Junior Miss Pageant for younger girls. It eventually evolved into Junior Miss Newfoundland and Labrador for girls 10 to 13 years-old. Because of the overlap, a 13-year-old can choose to participate in either pageant. However, as the pageants happen at around the same time, they have never had someone participate in both at once.
Jenkins said the pageants are not beauty contests. The organizing committee is comprised of people who have participated in pageants and know first-hand how they can give contestants opportunities to grow confidence, improve communication, represent their communities, and pursue their passions, she added.
“We give them a platform to build their confidence in public speaking, we give them chances to engage in community initiatives and leadership goals,” said Jenkins.
The pageants involve interviews, an optional talent show, and a fashionwear portion.
“We tell them (wear) anything you want that represents you, pick something from your closet, show us your personality,” said Jenkins.
There is also an eveningwear segment where contestants answer impromptu questions.
During the pageant weekend, the committee offers seminars for contestants on everything from internet safety, to developing self-confidence, women in trades, and sign language.
The contestants have the option to fundraise for a charity chosen by the committee. At the gala, the total amount raised is announced on stage.
“We’re showing them this is what you can do individually but look what also happens when we get together as a group of people and show them this is the kind of community outreach we can do,” said Jenkins.
Then there are the friendships and ties made at the pageants.
“Basically, we just want to form connections with these girls, give them lifelong friendships,” Jenkins said, adding the pageant committee welcomes individuality. “We don’t have any rules against the kinds of people who can enter. We’ve had girls with physical disabilities. We’ve had girls with ADHD. We don’t judge based on anybody’s size or looks or economic status. Everybody is judged equally based on your personality and who you are. Come in and just show us basically who you are and what you’re about.”
Over the past 20 years, Jenkins said, the committee has aimed to differentiate the pageant from the stereotypical image often associated with such events. “People hear the word pageant and the first thing they think of is Miss Universe on stage in a bikini, or Toddlers & Tiaras where all these kids are running around in dresses and fake tans,” she said. “It has been extremely hard to get away from those kinds of things, but we’ve tried very hard to break that stereotype and grow an organization that focuses on growing these young women and giving them these life experiences… I still have girls back from when we started who contact me for references or just to speak about things. It’s been 20 years, so we have girls who are doctors, and nurses, and physiotherapists, and actors, and girls who are part of organizations, and who are now moms. The things like that are wonderful, where we can have a group of women who just focus on believing in each other, and giving them different opportunities that they might not be able to get, and role models. We’re people who watched them grow and can be references, but we can be shoulders and ears, too. So that’s the type of organization we’re trying to be, we’ve tried to grow into.”
Some contestants have remained friends, become best friends, and have even been in each other’s wedding parties, said Jenkins. “Those kinds of things make it so much more worthwhile,” she said.
This year, the pageant weekend will run from September 9 to 11. To mark the 20th anniversary, there will be a new crown and sash and all previous title holders have been invited to attend.
Jenkins said the committee members are grateful to have made it to 20 years. They have experienced difficulties, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic when the pageant could not be held.
“We’ve been lucky enough to get some amazing sponsors who help us, and we’ve been able to connect with different organizations,” said Jenkins. “Like we fundraise for the Shriners who help children go to different hospitals who can’t get that treatment here, or our teens work with an organization called Stand for Hannah that works around distracted driving. We kind of teach them things that will hopefully keep them going in their future and they’ll get some things to learn from.”
Jenkins extended her thanks to everyone who has ever helped the pageant and is looking forward to meeting those who enter this year. “I wouldn’t be able to do this if it wasn’t for the girls who enter, the parents who allow their girls to enter, the title holders who have all brought something to this title, and each and every sponsor who’s helped us out every year. It is a hope to keep it going for many years.”