Mackenzie’s view: Learning from Fair Queen Speeches

BY MACKENZIE BONHAM

Well hello everybody! I am Mackenzie Bonham.  I am nine-years old, in the fourth grade. I am so excited to start this new adventure with each and every one of you. Ms. Dani asked me if I would like to write you all every month and let you know what I have been up too. Of course I said, “YES”. 

To start this journey with you all, I want to share one of my favorite things about being a Visiting Queen. When I tell people I am attending pageants, the typical response is, “oh do you like to see the pretty dresses, or watch them get excited when they win?” Yep! But that is just a couple of the small reasons I attend.

First, I go to represent my title that I am so SUPER PROUD to be appointed. Second, I go to listen to the contestants’ stories and get to know these girls a little better. Some of the best advice I have received over this last year are from the queen contestants giving their one-minute speech. These girls are standing on stage, looking into the stands of hundreds of people, and trying flawlessly tell “their story” within one minute.

In the months of July and August, I attended six pageants that were as close as Champaign county to Logan county. Some of best speeches I can remember have happened within this last year.

2018 Miss Jersey County gave one of the BEST speeches I have EVER listened to. Going into the Miss Illinois County Fair Queen pageant (the state-level pageant all the fair queens compete in), she was a plus-sized queen and gave a powerful message about loving who you are, being the best you, and not letting others tear you down. I was one of many that stood up and applauded her speech at the end. She won the speech award for best speech out of over 70 contestants. 

I will never forget when Skye Kretzinger got on stage to give her speech. She spoke about never giving up and staying motivated to get achieve your dream. She competed a few times for Miss Logan County. The closing of her speech went something like, “I don’t know what the outcome to my story will be at the end of this evening, but like Dory would say, I will just keep on swimming.”  She is now the 2019 Miss Logan County Fair Queen. 

One of the runner ups for Miss Georgetown Fair Queen gave a compelling speech of how to find light and happiness in the darkest of times. See, within a year her sister, her dad, and her brother all passed away due to various tragedies. She knew she had to keep moving forward and trying to find happiness for her and her family. She entered the queen pageant to make happy memories and friends. I am just a kid…but that was hard not to cry listening to what she has been through. 

These may be only one-minute glances into their lives, but most of these speeches provide life lessons and advice I will always carry with me. 

Over the last year, being a Queen (you will not hear me call myself a pageant girl…nope), I have learned and been motivated by a lot of these speeches. 

I won’t let anyone tear me down. 

I will find the happy in life.

I will treat everyone with kindness.

I will not worry about body image.

Most of all…a life lesson from that smart, little fish Dory…I will always just keep swimming. 

So thank you to those ladies that share the kind of stories this Little Miss will carry for a lifetime.  

Until next time…be kind, be awesome, and just be yourself. 

Love, Mackenzie Bonham 2019 Little Miss of Illinois