Kaylee Keith, 23, rehearses her dance at the Stapp Productions Miss Texas America Pageant Send Off 2011 for the talent portion of the Miss Texas pageant competition June 28 in Arlington.

Pageant Queen

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Two West Texans will battle it out against other young women throughout Texas for their next possible titles in the Miss Texas and Miss Teen Texas pageants June 28 in Arlington.

Kaylee Keith, 23, currently holds the Miss West Texas title while Tatum Sheets, 15, wears the Miss Teen West Texas title.

Kaylee, a Pampa native, is currently a senior at West Texas A&M University. Kaylee started getting involved in pageants a year ago, but credits her love of dance for her pageant competitions.

“The scholarship is why I wanted to compete, because I wanted to pursue a masters of fine arts in choreography,” Kaylee says. “Dance is my major, it’s my life, it’s my art, it’s my fun – it’s everything.”

Scholarships are awarded to contestants competing within the Miss America Organization to use for furthering their education, according to the Miss Texas program.

During the competition, Kaylee must perform her talent, share her viewpoint on a specific platform of her choice, and show off several wardrobe requirements, such as an evening gown and swimwear. Kaylee's platform is Bullying Education and Awareness.

“The platforms are a personal cause, what they’re campaigning about and what they’re speaking about,” says Shellie Stapp, a coach for several Amarillo-area pageant contestants and owner of Stapp Productions. “I’m glad we’re able to share that every year with Amarillo and surrounding areas.”

Shellie hosted an event June 17 to showcase the two contestants to the community.

“It gives them a chance to be in front of people and show their clothes in front of people and see how people feel,” Shellie says, “It gives them an opportunity to show their talents and most importantly, it’s all positive. We like to send the girls off feeling good about themselves.”

Tatum, of Lubbock, says she began pageants when she was 4-years-old, but hated them until she attempted pageants again when she was six.

“This is the first time to do this kind of a pageant where I get a scholarship and everything,” Tatum says. “It’s really exciting.”

Tatum will compete against girls between 13- and 17-years-old with her platform, B.U.S.T.E.D, “Buckle Up and Stop Texting Educating Drivers.”

The teen competitions, according to the Miss Texas Teen program, encourage talent, healthy living, communication skills, community service and academic achievement with a wardrobe, talent and fitness routine portion of the competition.

by Kalani Gordon

A junior at UNT, Kalani is working toward a photojournalism degree. Kalani has been a Canyon resident for 18 years and in her spare time rock climbs and plays soccer.