MISS JACKSON PREPARES FOR STATE PAGEANT

There's just something about Jackson that Kim Massaro enjoys.

The current holder of the 'Miss Jackson' title, the St. Louis native was in town all last week speaking to a variety of groups in preparation for the Miss Missouri pageant which begins June 4.

"I love representing Jackson," said Massaro. "There's just something about the town that I enjoy. Coming to the smaller community from St. Louis, I find that it's very hard to reach out to the community in St. Louis but in Jackson it's been so nice. People have accepted me with open arms."

The 23-year-old Massaro was named Miss Jackson during the annual Miss Jackson Pageant held last November and sponsored by the Jacksonian Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Association. Local businesses contribute to provide a scholarship to the winner of the pageant. Last year, that scholarship totaled $1,400. The Miss Jackson pageant is sanctioned by the Miss America program. Winners of the Miss Jackson pageant advance to the Miss Missouri competition and may progress on to the Miss America pageant later in the year.

"I felt very fortunate to win this particular pageant because it offers one of the best scholarships in the state," said Massaro. "That's what the Miss America pageant is all about. It encourages young women to get their education and set their standards higher."

Her speaking engagements with various Jackson organizations over the course of the past week provide good preparation for parts of the upcoming Miss Missouri pageant.

"Going out and speaking to these organizations is good practice for the interview portion of the competition because you have to think on your feet -- not to mention the fact that I enjoy being with the people," said Massaro.

The Miss Missouri pageant comprise four sections -- interview, swimsuit, talent and evening wear. The interview portion accounts for 30 percent of a contestant's total score while the talent portion accounts for 40 percent. The swimsuit and evening wear portions account for 15 percent each.

Massaro follows a strict regimen in preparing for the pageant, particularly the interview and talent competitions.

"I try to practice every day," said Massaro. "You really have to make preparing for the pageant a part of your life. I watch television and read the newspapers and do everything I can to stay current on the events. That helps with the interview competition.

Massaro, who is a tap dancer, is working with a choreographer in New York City to perfect her dance performance for the pageant's talent competition.

Calling the opportunity to work with a talented choreographer "a dream come true," Massaro explained that while she has visited with her choreographer in New York, much of the work they do is over the phone and through the mail. The choreographer videotapes his instructions and mails them to Massaro, whose responsibility it is to learn the steps.

"You have to prepare yourself mentally as well as physically," she said.

Massaro receives a great deal of support from her family, calling them her "strength and motivation."

The plight of one of her brothers encouraged her to pursue the line of study in which she is majoring at UMSL -- elementary special education with an emphasis in learning and behavior disorders.

Massaro's brother was diagnosed at a young age with attention deficit disorder. While Massaro had long wished to be a teacher, she never considered instructing children with special needs until her brother was diagnosed with ADD.

"I always wanted to be a teacher but I always imagined myself in the perfect classroom with perfect children," she explained. "When my brother was diagnosed and I realized that he was one of those children with special needs, I realized the need for empathetic special educators."

Because each Miss Missouri and Miss America contestant must adopt a "platform," or a particular problem area in which they work to make improvements, Massaro adopted the problem of ADD. She felt her personal experience and education in the disorder would help her make an contribution to efforts to overcome it.

"I feel that I can better help people in that situation having seen how it affects individuals and families," she said.

The Miss Missouri Pageant is held June 4-10 at the Mexico Military Academy in Mexico, Mo.