Beauty of a Deal: No Entry Fee for Miss La Mesa/Teen La Mesa Contestants

Wanted: A few good women who can speak eloquently and walk in high heels wearing nonpained smiles. The Miss La Mesa and Miss Teen La Mesa pageants are seeking outgoing women from ages of 13 and 26. The pageants, which have been around since the late 1960s, afford winners a chance to serve as official hostesses for the city and attend grand openings, parades, summer concerts and La Mesa Chamber of Commerce events.

Contestants are scored on a personal interview, speech, poise and personality, sportswear, evening gown and an onstage question. No swimsuit competition.  And the pageants have no entry fee, which makes the event more accessible for the more modest among us.

Miss La Mesa 2011 will receive a $1,000 scholarship and Miss La Mesa Teen will get $500. The money was raised in August at the “Fashion Rocks the East” fashion show at the La Mesa Community Center.

Miss La Mesa and Miss Teen La Mesa go on to compete in the Miss Greater San Diego and Miss Greater San Diego Teen pageants. Nine titleholders have moved on to Miss San Diego titles. The current Miss Greater San Diego, Camille Neeley, was Miss La Mesa in 2008. Miss La Mesa pageant director Alexandra Kuty said the pageant has produced many Top 10 contestants and runner-up placements at state level: Miss California.

Kuty is a former Miss La Mesa who went on to win the Miss San Diego title twice—once with the Miss America organization and another with Miss USA. She said she credits her various successes—graduating from college, becoming a Chargers cheerleader and working at SeaWorld—to her participation in pageants.

“I polished my public speaking skills, learned about my city government and community, and met the most amazing people, including two of my best friends,” Kuty said. “Every pageant has a specific focus. … It’s important to know what you are getting into and meet the people who run the pageant so you feel comfortable with what the expectations are.

“I recommend it to anyone and it’s why I continue to volunteer my time to keep the pageants going in the community.”

If pageantry is more of a spectator sport for you, the event will be held at 6 p.m. March 4 at the Sonrise Community Church in Santee. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 pre-sale.

By the way, if you know a former Miss La Mesa or have photos of a past titleholder, the Miss La Mesa pageant is conducting research with the Historical Society’s help for the city’s Centennial Celebration. If you have that information or would like more information on this year’s pageants, contact Kuty at 619-698-4163.

MONDAY AT THE PARK: Thanks to sunny weather, the holiday was a great day to hang out at your neighborhood park. Several families and their younger children decided to pay a visit to Aztec Park on the corner of Aztec and Morocco drives. While it's enjoyable to see kids playing outside, riding swings and climbing jungle gyms, even more entertaining is listening to their conversations.

Four grade-schoolers from Maryland Avenue Elementary revealed the following tidbits from their family lives:

Girl: My aunt is a doctor. She used to help people, but now she makes babies come out.

Boy on swing: Oh yeah? My uncle helps people, too. He’s an airplane driver.

Boy on other swing to boy standing near girl: I’m gonna kick your head. I’m gonna kick your mom’s head.

Girl: You’re being a bully!

First boy on swing: I have a cat that poops all over me.

And that, my dear La Mesans, is the straight poop from a lazy Monday afternoon.