Aspiring model, 12, enters pageant

By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
   Being 12 years old and having a chance to participate in a pageant is sometimes just a dream for girls but Nicole Dima will live out that reality when she competes in the Miss Pre-Teen Trenton Pageant, Nov. 7.
   ”I am interested in modeling and thought this would be a great opportunity to model on a stage, answer questions, meet new people and make friends with other girls that are entering it,” Nicole said.
   It’s a good step for Nicole: she just had her first modeling job for a sports packaging company, having her photographs taken while pretending to hit a badminton birdie and hitting a volleyball.
   Nicole and her mom, Donna, have been considering such contests.
   ”So we discussed it and I wanted to see if she wanted to do something like this and she seemed really excited about doing it so we pursued it,” Ms. Dima added.
   They searched online search, and Ms. Dima said a lot of the possible contests for Nicole were too far away but the upcoming event is in Bordentown, a more reasonable distance.
   There was one challenge, however: Nicole needed to attend an interviewing session and the family was in a wedding and couldn’t attend. Pageant officials allowed her to be interviewed by phone — and a friend of Ms. Dima’s went to the pageant session to deliver Nicole’s entry and information — and she was accepted, based on her personality over the phone.
   ”That was important to me because there is more than what you look like,” said Ms. Dima.
   The notification letter saying that Nicole was accepted for the pageant came last week, so now Nicole and her mom are moving to locate sponsors to help underwrite the competition fees and travel expenses. Anyone interested in helping or being a sponsor can contact Ms. Dima at 908-361-3923 or send e-mail to [email protected].
   In the meantime, Nicole is preparing her answers for the questions she may face on stage.
   ”I expect to have fun and experience a very good event,” she said.