The Miss Saranac Program
RULES AND OBJECTIVES FOR CONTESTANTS
2019/2020
Contestants must be a currently enrolled student at Saranac Jr/Sr High School entering her freshman year through entering her senior year OR a student living within the Saranac Community School District participating in another source of education such as homeschooling, private schooling, online schooling, or school of choice learning and be entering her freshman year through entering her senior year. Because the objectives include community involvement all throughout the year, Miss Saranac and her court cannot be of an age where they could potentially be living out of town such as living on a college campus or working away from home.
Contestants must be in good academic standing with a grade point average of no less than 2.5 which falls between a B- and C+ average. Those chosen to be the queen and the court must maintain good academic standing throughout the school year and must not be placed on academic probation. Academic probation could be cause for dismissal from the Miss Saranac royalty. However, we are aware that extenuating circumstances can apply. Special consideration can be made based on communications between parents or guardians, The Miss Saranac Program committee, and school staff.
Contestants are required to submit a photo of their gown choices prior to the pageant or an upcoming event. A photo can be texted to the Pageant Director or to the Program Director for approval. Gowns need to be appropriate for the age of the girl wearing them. Plunging necklines and thigh-high slits are not acceptable. When riding on the float, a thigh-high slit can look very inappropriate. These situations do not require a new dress, necessarily. Just let the committee know ahead of time and we can help you come up with ideas to fix the problem. We can also help you borrow another dress if necessary.
Contestants chosen as queen, 1st runner up, and 2nd runner up, and the Ambassador of Goodwill (who will be considered a member of the court in the event that there are 4 contestants) will be available for appearances throughout their reign and ending at the end of the pageant the following year. Duties begin immediately following crowning. For example, those contestants chosen to become the 2019 Miss Saranac Queen and Court will reign together throughout the 2019/2020 school year- -through the 2019 Bridgefest festival and continuing through the summer of 2020, and will participate in the 2020 pageant to choose a new queen and court, and may be invited to participate in the 2020 Bridgefest parade to bid their farewell. Each year, Miss Saranac court members will be welcomed to join the program committee to help plan for the following year. All previous queens and court members who have maintained good status in the program for the entire year will be welcomed to contribute their knowledge as committee members.
Local media may be interested in the program as a media event. All contestants must agree to have their picture printed in public media, such as the local newspaper and on social media, such as Facebook. Any contestant who is not able to have their picture printed for public viewing must not participate in this program for their own safety.
The Saranac Queen and/or court will be available for pre-approved and requested appearances promoting the Saranac Community, the Saranac Community Schools such as a Pride assembly and March Is Reading Month, and events taking place the day of Bridgefest. No queen or court will make an uninvited appearance without the approval of the Miss Saranac Program committee. Appearances may include parades and pageants in neighboring communities, local sporting events, school events, events hosted by the Saranac Community Association such as Thanksgiving and Christmas activities, and Bridgefest. Events and appearances are subject to change.
Miss Saranac and her court are representatives of the village of Saranac. In the effort to promote Saranac in a positive light, the queen and court and contestants must maintain good judgement in making good life choices. Not only is smoking, drinking, or use of inappropriate drugs harmful to a growing teen, they are illegal. The queen and court and contestants must be on their best behavior at all times. The queen and court and contestants must never be arrested or become pregnant during her reign and cannot already be a parent. During each girl’s year of service, body piercings (excluding ear lobes, cartilage, and one nose stud) and unnatural hair color changes are prohibited. We ask that any tattoos are appropriately covered when the girls are making appearances. The result of not following this code of conduct could be termination of her title and the title given to the next possible candidate when applicable. Before this would take place, a meeting would be held with the committee, queen or court member in question, and her parents or guardians. The committee holds the right to make the final decision.
Miss Saranac and/or her court must always have an adult with them such as a parent or a committee member when making a public appearance. NO reigning queen or court member will make an appearance without at least one of the other program participants with them unless asked by the committee to do so. If the queen is unavailable to make a requested appearance, the 1st runner up and the 2nd runner up (or the Saranac Ambassador of Goodwill) will be notified and asked to appear in her place. All contestants- - Please be safe! NEVER be anywhere alone. An adult must always know what you are doing.
While making public appearances, cell phones must be turned off and put away. If there is an emergency, it is permitted to contact the pageant committee member and/or parent who is present to act as chaperone. This also applies to contestants of the pageant. All phones must be turned off and put away except in cases of emergency. Everyone needs to be respectful of others. A noisy phone will equal a deduction of 5 points from your total score at the pageant. At approved times, photographs may be taken with cell phones.
The following neighboring royalty will be notified of the names and titles of Miss Saranac and the court each year. This notification will likely result in invitations to those pageants and their festival parades. This list is subject to change.
Clarksville Ox Roast Prince and Princess Royalty, Miss Belding Scholarship Pageant Royalty, Kent County Youth Fair Royalty, and Ionia Free Fair Queen and Court.
No contestant may run for Saranac Queen who is currently royalty for another festival or town per the contract rules of that pageant. The current Saranac royalty will be expected to finish their reign before competing for and possibly winning another title. Extenuating circumstances can apply and be discussed with the committee and a parent or guardian. Also, any contestant who has been crowned Miss Saranac may not compete for Miss Saranac again.
The following are items that will be provided to you by our generous sponsors for your use during your reign as queen or court. You are responsible for taking care of these items and replacing anything as necessary- -
~1 tiara and 1 sash for each girl
~1 commemorative Miss Saranac 2019 necklace pendant and chain provided to Miss
Saranac from Dood’s Jewelry of Ionia
This program was developed and written by the Miss Saranac Program committee. We do not give permission for any of this contract to be used or misused in parts or its entirety. July 21, 2018. Updated June 1, 2019
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By signing below, you and a parent or guardian are signifying that you understand and agree with the rules put in place by the Miss Saranac Program committee and the sponsors should you choose to be a contestant and/or be chosen as the queen or a court member (the court includes the Saranac Ambassador of Goodwill), for the 2019-2020 reign. The program committee will do their best to inform your family at least a month in advance of events that will require the attendance of the Saranac Queen and/or court or contestants. Your family will agree to notify a committee member by phone call, text, email, or FB post if you, as queen or court member or contestant, are unable to attend an event. You and your family agree to be on time to events and be dressed appropriately for the event. You acknowledge that you are responsible for transporting yourself to scheduled events. The committee will do their best to assist you if needed. The objectives of having a Miss Saranac and court are:
1. to positively promote the town of Saranac
2. to provide opportunities for female high school students in the Saranac community to:
A. develop their communication skills in real time through interaction with judges, meeting other girls their own age, and making public appearances before various audiences (this applies to the contestants as well as the winners)
B. serve the community through hands-on activities
C. recognize that networking and collaboration are necessary parts of serving on a committee in their community
D. be an active participant on the Miss Saranac Program committee
Miss Saranac Program Contestant
___________________________________ Date__________
Parent/Guardian
___________________________________ Date__________
Contestant keeps this packet and signature page. Please turn in the next page to the Miss Saranac Program committee. Thank you.