Brains? Check! Poise? Check! The ability to perform under pressure? Check! These are some of the requirements for the soon-to-be-crowned Miss Staley and Miss Junior Staley.

     The new Miss Staley pageant, held in the Performing Arts Center on Dec. 1, will showcase different talents the competitors have in and out of the classroom while raising funds for prom. Contestants will be asked an academic question based on their grade level from one of the four core classes, perform a talent portion and be judged on their evening or activity apparel. The girls, from freshmen to seniors, will participate in an interview process similar to a job interview with the rotary club. The points will be divided up as follows: 30 percent talent, 30 percent interview, 20 percent evening or activity apparel and 20 percent on-stage academic question.

     “Sophomores and juniors have to start saving for their prom, and since the boys have Mr. Falcon, the girls should have a Miss Staley pageant. We will have representatives from different clubs and sports at the school participate so they can represent who they are through what they do here at school,” class sponsor and Spanish teacher Jennifer Newman said

     Newman and physics teacher Dawn Hefner are the sponsors of the pageant.

     “We wanted to do something similar to Mr. Falcon, but not necessarily a beauty pageant. We are putting them into a more professional environment by interviewing them like a job interview,” said Hefner.

     A junior Miss Staley winner from the underclass competitors and a Miss Staley winner from the junior and senior competitors will be crowned. The overall winner for the talent portion will also be recognized.

     “This is a fun way to raise money for their proms. It’s a good opportunity for the girls to show their talents. Mr. Falcon is always a lot of fun, so I think this will be entertaining as well,” said junior Brianna Counts.