Claire Boughton
Equinox Staff
Talent, acceptance, inclusivity, and a little bit of strutting-your-stuff took center stage in the Mabel Brown Room on March 23 at the Delta Xi Sweetie-Pie pageant.
A supportive crowd gathered at noon to watch the six contestants participate in five separate events showing off everything from their Saturday morning best to their thoughts on multicultural awareness.
The event was held as a fundraiser for the Cheshire Medical Center, explained Emily Foy, president of Delta Xi Phi and one of the judges for the pageant.
“We felt it was important to give back to the community we are living in during these years of college,” said Foy. The Sweetie-Pie pageant ended up raising $300 for Cheshire Medical, which is only a small portion of the charity work the sorority has done.
However, charity took backstage the moment the contestants stepped out from behind the curtain. In each round, the six contestants showcased their very best.
In round one, Bailee Mullally, president of Psi Upsilon, showed off her Saturday morning best with her big blanket and red heart pillow.
Round two was captured by Jarrod Bernier, a sophomore at Keene State College, who told the crowd about his participation for the past several years in the Renaissance Fair. “[I have done] charity work for food drives and things like that through the New Hampshire Renaissance Fair,” explained Bernier in a post-interview. “I haven’t really led any community service or any fundraiser kind of thing, so I hope to do that more in my future.”
In round three, Paulina Torres, a first-year at Keene, captivated the audiences with her cover of a Spanish song. She played her guitar and sang her heart out while the crowd watched on.
Round four had all the contestants in their best attire for the advancement of women in higher education event. This was followed by round five where contestants were asked questions like “what does multiculturalism mean to you,” “what is the most important aspect of friendship to you,”, etc.
The event came to a close with the crowning ceremony. Marnie Fryer and Paulina Torres were announced as the Sweetie-Pie runner ups. Jack Hanson, [Student Life Editor for the Equinox] a sophomore at Keene State was crowned as the winner of the Sweetie-Pie pageant.
“This event really stressed what Delta Xi Phi represents,” said Emilee Hastleton, sophomore and a new member of DXP. “Inclusivity and embracing the multicultural world that there is to offer! Each difference of each individual helps make the world a brighter place. D-Xi Sweetie-Pie helps bring light to those differences.”
If you would like any more information about the Sweetie-Pie event of Delta Xi Phi you can contact Emily Foy at emily.foy@ksc.keene.edu
Claire Boughton can be contacted at
cboughton@kscequinox.com.
