The Miss DC Pageant is filled with attractive, inspirational and interesting young women.

As a child, Jordan Kaye, 22, used to draw pictures of herself brandishing a gun at the bad guys. The striking brunette with emerald green eyes attends George Washington University and her platform for the pageant is eliminating political apathy among today’s youths. She interns at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in their cold case division and hopes to work for the U.S. Marshals or the Secret Service.

Jennifer Corey is a 6-foot, blue-eyed, blonde-haired beauty from Long Island, New York  who attends American University and her platform is raising women’s awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV). She says she loves the D.C. area and wants to make the area her permanent home.

Meeting a Command Sergeant Major as part of a volunteer event recently was a thrill for Carla Brown, 24, who is a graduate of Oral Roberts University. Brown’s platform is domestic violence awareness and she hopes one day to do intelligence work for the government.

Jessica Scott-Johnson is one of the few true Greater-Washington natives to be competing in the pageant, having been born and raised in Fairfax. Scott-Johnson’s, 24,  platform is eradicating illiteracy in children and adults.

Kaye, Corey, Brown and Scott-Johnson are all first-time contestants in the pageant. For Chelsey Sophia Rodgers, this is her second time competing. “I was fortunate to place as first runner up to Miss District of Columbia last year, which is an honor in itself,” says Rodgers, whose platform is building the self-esteem of today’s youth for a better tomorrow.

A total of 15 contestants will be competing at the July 21st event which is being held at Bell Multi Cultural High School. They will be judged on five main style issues – swimsuit, evening wear, interview, talent and onstage questioning.
The winner goes on to compete in Miss America 2008.

The competition is open to women aged 18-24 who have lived, worked or gone to school in the District for at least six months prior to the final pageant.

One of the main organizers of the event, Sonya Gavankar, was Miss D.C. herself in 1997. “Being at Miss America is a great experience,” she says. “The women surprised me. I was expecting cheerleading camp and got goal oriented, community focused women who as a group could easily change the world.”

Competing is not easy, however.

“We always have a few girls drop out. They realize how much hard work goes into preparing and how much community we expect them to do,” says Gavankar. “It’s not a glamorous process, but incredibly beneficial for those who stick with it.”

Tickets for the event are $35 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

2007 Miss District of Columbia Contestants
Ashley Ahlquist, 21
Carla Brown, 24
Caroline Casey, 21
Jennifer Corey, 20
Michelle Crosby, 23
Jessica Eckert, 24
Lindsey Hurlbut, 23
Jordan Kaye, 22
Marina Montes, 22
Annalee Moyer, 20
Chelsey Rodgers, 24
Shayna Rudd, 21
Jessica Scott-Johnson, 24
Aspen Steib, 23