2015 Newly named Ohio International Director- Gerri L. Walczak

I can not wait to see everyone there!!!!

                                     Happy Easter to all our Ohio International friends and Family!
Thank you to all our wonderful sponsors: Re/Max Central, Blue By Atlas Bridal Shop,Hair Chiasso,  Mark Easterwood Photography, Stautzenberger College, Dance Expressions, Bow Tech Productions, Suzt Bootz Creat Queens Pageant Coaching, Riddle Services DJ Services, Fiddle Stix, Midland Title, John Casalanca!!!!

Thank You!!!!

The 2015 Ohio International Pageant is in the record books! It was a success! We have so many people to thank for helping to make the event successful. Let the thanking begin!

Contestants:

As a pageant we couldn't have been prouder of all the contestants and for bringing their all. We hope to see them again in the future. Our 2016 pageant contestants have some big “heels” to fill.

International Pageant System:

The national staff supported our goals and process 100%!  They were happy to help us in anyway possible whether it was phone calls, faxing paperwork or just lending an ear to ask a question.  We know our winners, Raven (Miss Ohio International) and Shelby (Teen Ohio Internation) will make us proud at nationals in July.

Staff/Volunteers:

Oh my gosh, these people worked their tails off!!!  This was the first year for the Ohio International Pageants to be produced in Maumee Ohio. They did AMAZING! They dedicated their time and energy to make sure all tasks (big or small) were done with a smile and to the best of their ability. I couldn’t have asked for a better team!

Maumee Indoor Theatre:

Our venue was fantastic!  The staff there was unbelievably helpful and helped work through any kink that may have arisen. The venue was perfect for our pageant. We have only heard praise about the service everyone recieved. Looking forward to working with them again for the 2016 Ohio International Pageant (March 6th 2016).

Judges & Emcees:

The Judges what can I say!   The biggest thank you for taking time out of your lives to pick my first Miss and Miss Teen Ohio International.  You did an amazing Job!!!

Amy and Kristy- You two work so well together.  You would have thought you both had worked always together.   Could not have asked for better Emcee's.   You delivered better than I had imagined.   You both inspire me.  

Sponsors:

We couldn't have run a pageant without our sponsors. We had sponsors that supported contestants financially, educational opportunities, provided services, food, supplies, and lots of cheerleading for our ladies. The sponsors believed in our system and we are truly appreciative of their support.

List of our sponsors:

Stautzenberger College

John Cassablanca

RE/MAX Central Group

Mark Easterwood Photography

Bow Tech Productions

Hair Chiasso!

Blue: Atlas Bridal

Dance Expressions- X-TREME Team

Shannon Revill Make Up artistry

Fiddlesticks

We are extremely thankful to everyone that helped make the 2015 pageant possible!!!! We are already busy planning for the 2016 pageant! We love giving girls an opportunity to learn and grow through pageantry and look forward to doing that even more over the coming year!

Thank you all for going on this journey with us. As the Director I couldn't be more pleased with all of the love and support from everyone above and especially my family and friends. By them supporting my dreams I’ve been able to help make dreams come true for others!!

Truly thankful,

Gerri

Fellow Pageant System Title Holders...

Dear Title Holders From Other Pageant Systems,

We are very excited that you will be attending the Ohio International Pageant. Your attendance and support means a lot. It’s the first time for the Ohio International Pageant to be held in Maumee, Ohio and we couldn't be more thrilled that you can join us.

Even though we’re looking forward to your presence, we must still follow our national rules on non International title holder policies.  During the pageant you may wear your pageant affiliation banner, however, your crown cannot be worn. If you choose to do a photo op with Ohio International contestants your banner must be removed. Again, we are looking forward to your attendance, but still need to uphold our rules and regulations. Thank you for your understanding.

Curtains go up in less than two weeks and we can’t wait to share the experience with you! As fellow pageant women, you know all of the time and love put into a pageant production. Come, relax, and enjoy the show!

Sincerely,

Gerri Walczak-Director

Current & Past International Pageant Title Holders

We’re very excited to bring the Ohio International Pageant to Maumee, Ohio. We can’t wait to bring this pageant back to Toledo. Past and present title holders it is our privilege to invite you to attend the Jr. Miss, Teen Miss, and Miss Ohio International Pageant. This event will be held at the Historic Maumee Theater (601 Conant Street, Maumee, Ohio) on Sunday, March 1, 2015. The pageant will start at 6:00pm.

We hope that you will find time to be present at the pageant. We would love to acknowledge you and your contributions to the Ohio International Pageants system. It would be an honor to have you in attendance and we would like to provide you with a complimentary ticket. Please let us know whether you can or cannot join us.

Please contact Karri Knoblauch for your ticket. Karrilynn44@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,

Gerri Walczak- Director

This Is The Pageant For You!

Blair Wortsmith 

Our Ohio International Pageant is a part of a larger pageant system. Women from all over the world compete in different International Pageants. Trying to figure out our system and what makes it different from other pageants can get confusing. Blair Wortsmith, the current Miss Teen International, is here to help explain what it means to be part of the International Pageant system and why it could be for you too.

Enjoy!

Gerri, Executive Director- Ohio International Pageant

Ohio International Pageant Information

What makes the International Pageants unique?

I am Blair Wortsmith, the reigning Miss Teen International 2014. I have the incredible opportunity to represent the International Pageants as the teen titleholder this year, and it truly has been a dream come true! There are so many things that make this system special and unique.

The most important feature of our system is definitely the platform of the contestants and the interview phase of competition. Each contestant has the opportunity to pick a cause and organization that she cares about to promote for as she competes. I work with the NFL and National Dairy Council’s Fuel Up to Play 60 organization to spread awareness of the childhood obesity epidemic and to encourage children to lead healthier lifestyles. The platform is typically something the contestant has a personal connection to or feels is a problem in today’s society. 40% of the contestants’ overall score comes from the interview portion which is primarily about the platform. Political and religious questions are not asked. The women of the Miss, Teen, and Mrs. International pageants are some of the most dedicated and passionate women I have seen! The contestants in our system are touching lives and making positive changes on a daily basis!

We call it the “International Pageant Family” for a reason. The sisterhood is undeniable, and I have made some of the sweetest friends through my time in the system. The girls in this pageant are so genuine and kindhearted. Int’l Pageant titleholders are not competing against each other; they're competing with each other. The only person any contestant can compete with is herself. It meant the world to me that I had the support of my fellow contestants when I was crowned the titleholder. I promise you will make some of your best friends through this pageant system!

Clay Spann Photo Example 

The sponsors of the International Pageants are amazing! I highly recommend utilizing the team that is so knowledgeable of our system for state/country pageant preparation as well as for the International competition. Joey Rutherford with The Competitive Image can help you find your dream wardrobe and Clay Spann takes the most breathtaking photos I have ever seen! Thomas and Drew Dunn with Thomas Dunn Studios are a perfect choice for your hair/makeup needs at the International Pageants. Suzy Boots is the best of the best for interview prep leading up to the pageant. Chelsea Cooley and A.T. Dunn with Toned to Win are a great choice for both fitness training and walking practice. Susan Botek with Bow Tech Productions produces some phenomenal paperwork for contestants. This team of sponsors is qualified, generous, and so sweet!

One of my favorite aspects of the International Pageant system is the scoring system. There are not any ranking systems; the contestant that scores the most points wins the pageant. This keeps the pageant fair and is a great reflection of the integrity of the system.

The opportunity for at large contestants as well as returning contestants is a unique aspect of our pageant. Some states and countries do not have a pageant established with a director, but this doesn't keep the area from having a representative. The International Pageant staff members are also big believers in second chances, and because of this contestants can return to the International stage multiple times for a shot at the crown. Both Mrs. International 2014, Maggi Thorne, and Miss International 2014, Samantha Riddle, came as returning at large contestants.

The alliance with the Go Red for Women movement is another amazing aspect of our system. Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States. The American Heart Association has developed GRFW to help decrease the rates by encouraging women to lead healthy, smoke-free lives. Each participant in the Int’l Pageants is encouraged to connect with her local AHA along with promoting her personal platform. Local Heart Associations across the nation host events throughout the year that titleholders can become involved in like Heart Walks and luncheons.

Social media is a very important part of our system as well! I strongly recommend starting a personal blog to document your appearances so people can follow your pageant journey. It is also great practice because the International titleholders write blogs each week! I also think it is important to share photos of your appearances on social networking sites so people can see how amazing Int’l Pageant titleholders are!

You can follow the journeys of Miss, Teen, and Mrs. International at: http://theinternationalpageants.blogspot.com

Instagram and Twitter @intlpageants

Facebook at Mrs., Miss, and Miss Teen International Pageants.

I am also on Instagram @missteenintl2014, Twitter @missteenintl14, on Facebook at Miss Teen International 2014 Blair Wortsmith, and my personal blog can be found at https://blairwortsmith.wordpress.com.

I am so excited to see who will be representing Ohio at the pageant this summer. The International Pageants are not like any other, and it is such an honor being a part of it!

If you believe in something, believe in it all the way!