Contestant 8: Treasure Ray
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SCPDA): With the Miss Stanton Pageant around the corner, the pressure is on for all the young women who are participating to represent Stanton. To understand their hopes for the pageant and what they have taken away from it, the Devil’s Advocate interviewed them and got their side of the story.
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE: Why did you decide to run for Miss Stanton? TREASURE RAY: I’m running because I wanted to try something new. I’m not really a pageant person. I think I can represent my school well, I’m a well rounded student. I feel like Miss Stanton should be well rounded. At Stanton, the people have this persona of people just being all academic but I feel like I can represent the school well.
DA: How would you describe your personality? TR: I’d say outgoing but it’s hard for me to try new things so I’d say a little bit more reserved. When I’m with my friends I’m outgoing. Most of the time I’m pretty nice. In terms of work I’m pretty focused, when I want something to get done, I’m determined.
DA: What do you want people to know before Miss Stanton is decided? TR: I want people to know that we all put in hard work. This is honestly, a really good group of people and anyone that gets chosen will be a good representation of the school. Now I’ll say I won’t have no hard feelings but I don't think there will be. I feel that even if I don’t win anything, I’ll have the experience and that’s really what I came her for. I’m running for Miss Stanton for the experience not just the title. I just want people to know that either way I’m going to be excited however the outcome is and I hope whoever wins represents the school well.
DA: Who are your biggest role models and why? TR: My parents for different reasons. My mom is more of a hard worker. She is very determined and is going to do whatever she wants, no matter what. Before I was born she moved from South Carolina to Jacksonville but she grew up in a small town and she didn’t want me growing up there. Her whole family hated her for it, it just showed me that you do what you want. She had other dreams even if her family didn’t support her totally, she kept going with that. She taught me hard work will make your dreams come true. I respect my dad because he’s very patient. He’s very understanding in terms of if I ever have a problem I can go to my dad and I know he won’t judge me for anything I have to say. So it’s good to have that kind of person in your life where you can tell them really anything. That is why they’re both my role models.
DA: Other than yourself, who do you think is most deserving to win Miss Stanton? TR: Probably my best friend, Kynna. I think she is most deserving because she’s really just been a big influence in my life. She’s always been open and accepting me into her family and everything. She’s like the only person I hang out with all the time. So I feel like if anyone deserves it, I feel like she’s worked hard to get here. She just has what it takes, honestly, she’s a good speaker, she turns in her work, she has a good balance. I feel like she deserves it the most out of anyone, really.
DA: If you did win how would you make a difference in school and society? TR: Well as Miss Stanton I would be more present and if people have issues, being that person to talk to administration. I know Mrs. Glendenning is leaving but to be that person to go talk to coordinators because there are people that want change but you have to be the bigger person to go talk to and try and handle the situation. So it’s learning what people want at this school to change and how they want things to be different and organizing those meetings, organizing those things to get things changed. It’s really just being open enough and strong enough to talk to Admin.
DA: How do you respond to negative comments? TR: Of course I like to say “Oh, they don’t matter” but they do matter. Some negative comments can be really petty and you don’t need to address them. There’s also ways to address negative comments without being upfront about it. In terms of addressing them, I wouldn’t outright address them and target them. I would just be the best person I can be and carry myself in a way where there’s no need or no way for anyone to be able to say anything negative about me. Just watch what I say, not just holding back or anything, but carrying myself respectfully so that I’m not misrepresenting the school or being negative to anyone else.
DA: What does the title of Miss Stanton mean to you? TR: To me personally, it would just be very exciting. It’s like you’re being represented and for me [it means] I’m recognized for all the hard work I’ve done. And just being recognized as the best [version] of myself I can be. But in terms of school, I feel like the title means, you’re a hard worker, you’re organized, and you’re a well rounded person. So that’s why I feel like it fits me well. It’s something that it’s not the end of the world if you’re not able to be Miss Stanton but I feel like it’s a very big throne.
DA: Earlier you talked about your cause for child hunger, can you elaborate more on that? TR: Most of the children that I’ve worked with, they came from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Basically, the daycare I worked at, I volunteer with the children in that, they are funded by a food program in Duval County. A lot of the food doesn’t come from the children because most of the children are there because their parents are using vouchers or stuff like that to send them there. So most of the times you see children come in there, most of the time their clothes don’t fit, their dirty, a lot of times you don’t know if they’ve eaten at night. I just feel like, obviously not every child goes to bed hungry there just because they’re from a lower socioeconomic background but I see a lot of cases of where it’s just like “maybe this child isn’t getting the proper nutrition.” It’s kind of sad to think about, no one wants to think about that. You give them all you can when you’re there and you’re working with them. Mainly I just see how the children are, some children are so happy when they get to eat and you’re like “Oh my God, so cute.” But really they’re not getting to eat at home. It worries me more the more I think about it because I try not to while I’m there but it’s something that people have to think about. Specifically in Duval county, I feel like it’s an issue. There’s awareness for it but a lot people don’t get to work first hand with people that experience it.
DA: What is the impact pageants have on girls in our generation? TR: I would say mostly negative, even though it may obviously not. I guess it makes us strive to try to look like one image or the perfect image. Especially with pageants not just in school but like outside pageants, it strives for us to be the perfect person when really that’s not a real [ideal]. So at Stanton I feel like it’s a more realistic type of pageant just because, especially this year, there’s so much diversity and I feel like anyone who’s coming to watch this pageant will have a more realistic image of how the everyday person is, especially since we have a large diversity at Stanton in races and ethnicities. For the most part, pageants have a negative connotation of how people should carry themselves but with shows like ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ that’s not how people really are. So at Stanton it’s definitely a better version of a pageant or how pageants should be and how it should look.
DA: How are you a role model for underclassmen at Stanton? TR: I’m a role model because I keep my grades up, for the most part, A’s and B’s. Also with a pretty busy schedule in terms of like cheer and multi, i’m showing underclassmen you’re not going to have no social life when you come to Stanton. I don’t do much in terms of trouble. For the most part I’m a pretty good student. I’m responsible especially because there are a couple freshman on our cheer team. Since I’m co-captain of the cheer team, I’ll be captain next year. In terms of turning in my things on time, listening, being respectful, and stuff like that which most people know that. But at Stanton it’s hard to stay on the right track so it’s basically just showing them, AP or IB, I’m doing IB, there’s ways to still be a good student at Stanton.