Contestants share ideas at Purple and Gold Soiree

Prairie View students were offered the opportunity to meet the 2007-08 Miss Prairie View contestants April 11 in the Memorial Student Center Lounge."The Purple and Gold Soiree is the first time Prairie View's student body is exposed to the contestants in the pageant," said reigning queen Lindsey Slay. "Because a pageant [winner] is forced to serve as an ambassador because they're not voted on, it is important to give the student body an opportunity to know the contestants on a slightly more personal level."

Another focus of the soiree was to give the contestants a chance to improve their speaking skills and become more aware of their chosen platforms.

Each contestant is required to decide upon a platform, or goal to achieve while reigning as Miss Prairie View if selected.

"Also, we are going to open the floor for questions and answers so the contestants can improve for the interview portion of the pageant," Slay said.

All of the contestants used personal inspirations to help choose their platforms and their reasoning behind entering the Miss Prairie View pageant.

"I know I have a story to tell," said junior contestant Angel Porter, "No one is better than anyone else, so I want to promote Student Empowerment- mentally, physically and spiritually."

"I've done two previous pageants and lost in both. I have really big dreams, and if I don't take actions, they will always be dreams," junior contestant Jaime Jackson said, "Fear to continue opens the door for failure."

Whether preparing with current events or school history, the five contestants have worked diligently to ready themselves for the big pageant.

"In this pageant, we have to stay on top of our game because we don't know what they might ask," said senior contestant Ashley Gaddis. "The judges want to know our intelligence."

The 2007 Miss Prairie View pageant takes place April 18 in the Opal-Johnson Auditorium at 7 p.m. prominent alumni will be in attendance.

"This university provides opportunity and hope to its students. If you can grasp everything the school has to offer you will be guaranteed success," said biology major Christiana Harris.