After a successful first pageant last year, Cooper City once again hosted its now-annual pageant on Tuesday, March 6 in the CCHS auditorium, where several residents competed for the crowns of Little Miss Cooper City, Miss Cooper City Teen, Miss Cooper City and Mr. and Mrs. Cooper City.
Hosted by emcee and host Dale McLean and former Miss Florida Teen USA 2017 model Victoria DiSorbo, the pageant featured thirteen contestants split across five categories. Each contestant was judged by a panel of fashion experts, including Miss Bahamas model Anastasia Pierre Friel, Covetique Boutique owner Jackie Korzack, celebrity hair and makeup artist Olivia “Miss OMG” and fashion designer Fernando Wong.
PHOTO BY SABRINE BRISMEUR
The event itself was organized by Felicia Trainer, the Cooper City recreation program specialist, who reached out to the hosts and put together the pageant under the larger Miss USA organization.
“It was a great night, I [was] so excited about the turnout and all the winners,” host DiSorbo said.
CCHS senior Sarah Molina won Miss Cooper City, CCHS junior Kimberly Slinkosky took home Miss Cooper City Teen, Lola McClure prevailed for Little Miss Cooper City, Mary Cobiere delighted the judges as Mrs. Cooper City and Earl Higginbotham triumphed as Mr. Cooper City. They will all make their first public appearances as Cooper City pageant representatives at Founders Day on Saturday, March 10.
The contestants were judged based on three sections: philosophy of life, presentation and poise for the older Mr. and Mrs. Cooper City, and personality, fitness and evening gown for the rest of the categories. The personality, charisma and thoughtfulness of their answers all went into making the final decisions.
Four young girls competing for the title of Little Cooper City emerged first, giving the judges a twirl in their dress before answering on-the-spot questions, including “What would you do with a million dollars?”
Several CCHS students were competing during the pageant for both Miss Cooper City Teen and Miss Cooper City, including juniors Darby Cook and Cayla Sullivan, who competed last year, and newcomer Kimberly Slinkosky, as well as senior Sarah Molina, who ran unopposed for the Miss Cooper City position.
“Competing was so much fun, I had such a blast getting ready but quite nervous because I never really experienced what a pageant was like,” Molina said. “I am so grateful to represent such a special and amazing community! I have met so many people and I’m so ready for what this year has in store for me.”
The formerly crowned pageant winners passed on their sashes and crowns to the new winners, surrendering their titles and allowing a new set of Cooper City residents to take their place.
“The First Ladies of the Cooper City pageant did a phenomenal job of representing this place,” Cooper City Commissioner Jeff Green said. “We would see these ladies often at just about every event Cooper City was putting on. They wore their crowns admirably and with confidence.”
Those who won first place in the Miss Cooper City and Miss Cooper City Teen have the opportunity to move forward, as the pageant works in tandem with the Miss USA and Miss Universe organizations. The winners have the chance to compete at a larger or even national level.
“I’m very excited about Kimberly winning,” Kimberly’s mother Kristin Slinkosky said. “She’s so busy with sports that last minute she just got her dresses together and got it all together just today.”
Photo by Sabrine Brismeur
