Two young women from Northern and Northwest Oklahoma spent the day Thursday, each preparing for their second attempt at the Miss Oklahoma Pageant slated to be held in Oral Roberts University in Tulsa June 4 through June 7.

Twenty-year-old Jordan Gaskill of Waynoka and 15-year-old Stacey Stevens of Perry are Miss Northwest Passage and Miss Northwest Passage Outstanding Teen respectively.

Both are within a week of a chance to win the Miss Oklahoma Title and the Oklahoma Outstanding Teen title when they compete next week.

If either of them win next week, each will via for the American titles peculiar to their grouping. Gaskill would via for Miss America and Steven for America’s Outstanding Teen.

Miss Northwest Passage was created in 1999 by a group of women who wished to see more women from Northwestern Oklahoma competing in the Miss Oklahoma Pageant, said one if its directors Carolyn Ames. “Now the contest is open to girls from all over the state,” she said.

Ames and a Co-director, Sally Miller, both of Mooreland, serve as guides, coaches as well as fund raisers for the women who compete in and ultimately win the titles of Miss Northwest Passage.

One hundred percent of the funds raised by the group are spent on supporting each girl in her bid to win the title as she represents the region in her role competing in the Miss Oklahoma Pageant, Ames said.

“This may seem like it wouldn’t cost that much but each of these girls has the gown they have to buy for the evening gown competition as well as their costumes for their talents,” Miller said.

That doesn’t even touch the money that is spent on gasoline and lodging by families who travel with each girl to the competition and remain a present support, Miller said.

“None of the directors are paid, “ Miller said. “All the funds that people donate go to support the girls.”

While pageants and what people perceive about them are panned by many, both Gaskill and Stevens hope to do their part in stripping away some of the negative views people have of these types of competitions since the events have positively impacted such a large part of their development.

“There are a lot of stereotypes of these competitions out there,” Stevens said. “But what people don’t know is that you learn so much about life and how to handle yourself through them.”

Their directors agreed.

“This is no “pampered princess” kind of competition,” Miller said. “Those girls are out there on stage practicing at 7 a.m. and many times they are not done until 10 p.m.”

The young women spent Thursday and Friday participating in their send off party whereby they modeled the outfits each would wear during the Miss Oklahoma interviews, swimsuit and evening gown competitions and performed their talents for a group. The send off took place at the United Methodist Church Thursday evening.

Gaskill was born and reared in Waynoka and is now attending Northwestern University in Alva. Previously, she won the title of Miss Northwestern and competed for the Miss Oklahoma title last year.

She believes that the experience she received by competing last year could make the difference for her in the competition this year.

“I would say the top of my list that I got from last years competition was confidence-confidence in myself and being not afraid to show people who I am and how I feel.” She said it especially worked for her in overcoming her shyness.

“I was always the shy girl in the corner,” Gaskill said. “But now I’m not afraid to talk. It has especially helped me in interviews.”

That hurdle was no easy feat to overcome. Hours spent in mock interviews with friends and family as well as coaches have paid off for the 20-year-old who now believes she has the metal to win a title.

“I have definitely grown a lot in the last year and being one year older, I feel, really makes a difference.”

Last year, Stevens, who has been competing in pageants since she was 13-years-old also competed in the Miss Oklahoma Outstanding Teen competition.

She also believes that the experience in larger competitions has not only given her some valued polish, but it has also tested her ethics and her commitment to the truth about who she really is.

“There are times in the interviews, that you want to impress the judges so badly that you are tempted to embellish what you have achieved,” she said. “Last year taught me to be proud of my own accomplishments and be just the person I am.”