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Springwood School’s Student Government Association is hosting the second annual Miss Greater Valley Pageant on Saturday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Contestants from around the Greater Valley area ages 3 months to 18 years are invited to participate. The girls from each of the five categories will compete during a 1 and a half hour time slot.

The pageant has grown since last year and will now include Miss, Jr. Miss, Little Miss, Tiny Miss and Baby Miss.

Last year, the pageant raised $7,000 toward the charity, Ashlie’s Embrace, which provides “cuddle cots” or cooling units to medical facilities “to help support families experiencing stillbirth or infant loss.” Springwood’s SGA was able to support the purchase of two cuddle cots for Alabama hospitals.

Kateley Walden at Springwood said the goal this year is to beat that number from last year. The next charity the pageant will be supporting is called Camille’s Place, a rehabilitation program for victims of human trafficking.

Remaining funds from the pageant will be used toward projects on campus and give back to the student body and school staff.

Already 15 to 20 girls have signed up for the pageant, but there’s still time and all are welcome.

The registration deadline was extended to April 3. The fee is $45 per contestant. For more information or a registration form email Kateley Walden at kateley.walden@springwoodschool.com. 

The pageant will be $10 per person at the door. Parents with more than one child participating will only have to pay once at the door.

Judges in the form of title holders will be coming out from the Miss Alabama organization.

In addition to crowning the winner, first, second and third runner up, contestants can also win Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality and Miss People’s Choice. For Miss People’s Choice, each vote is worth $1.

As for Miss Congeniality, contestants will vote for their pick on the practice day.

Walden said she hopes the pageant will be a fun experience for the younger contestants.

For the other older girls, she hopes the pageant will bring them out of their shell and build their confidence.

“For the older girls, the big thing is that it’s not just a beauty pageant. We ask a question on stage to get to know them,” Walden said.

“It’s about building connections, and especially with all the title holders that we have coming to judge and crown and stuff, seeing these role models that are all about making a difference in Alabama and then making connections,” Walden said.