Child Beauty Pageant Abolished

Thu., Feb. 13, 1997

Scripps-Mcclatchy Western Servic

Organizers abolished the Miss Colorado Sweetheart Pageant for girls 2-17, planned for March, because of negative publicity surrounding the murder of 6-year-old Boulder beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey.

“We didn’t like the way the media was reacting,” said Vonnie Pederson, president and executive director of the Miss Colorado Scholarship program, part of the Miss America program.

Sandra Jessen, coordinator for the Miss Colorado Sweetheart Pageant, criticized the decision.

“I believe in pageants,” Jessen said. “I’ve been involved in the pageant world for 30 years and my daughter competed in pageants as a child. We put on a good, clean, well-run pageant and I’m sorry it’s gone.”

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Scripps-McClatchy Western Service

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Child Beauty Pageant Abolished

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

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