Talon Marks Online News

On March 13, Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce will host the 2012 Miss Cerritos Contest from 5pm-7pm at the Cerritos Performing Arts Center.

As Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Catherine Gaughen said they are looking for young women who are just looking for a professional development opportunity.

Gaughen said the number one thing is they will develop interview skills, networking skills and business skills.

“The next thing is that they will have an opportunity to network and meet all the movers and shakers in the community and outside of the community, so for job opportinites, or if they’re looking for scholarships, or for future careers they can have the mayor and all the city council members their reference list to be able to call them and write letters, I’ll be able to reference them letters pretty much building their network of contacts in the community.”

Gaughen explained that this opportunity is a stepping stone for building a successful career.

“It’s a great starting point. A lot of people who get into business don’t understand the skill sets that they need in terms of networking, or building contacts and relationships.

“So as a young woman between the ages of pretty much 18 and 27, they’re at the early start of their career and it’s a great opportunity for them to come in and be able to learn how to interview successfully, how to network, how to meet people, how to conduct business conversations and business networking and relationships.”

It’s also a lot of fun they get to do a lot of fun things, we have wonderful events in the community, so it’s just a fun win win opportunity for everybody, according to Gaughen.

As Gaughen explains experience is the last thing needed.

“Experience is not a factor we’re not looking for anything specific, we’re looking for poised young women, we’re looking for women who are really going to utilize the opportunity. So we’re not looking for the person who can speak the best, or who has the best job or who has the best relationship you know building contacts.”We’re looking for someone who’s going to be able to use this opportunity and grow from it and so we’re looking for someone who is novice and new.

Gaughen said contestant qualifications aren’t that siff as you only have to be a high school graduate or equivalent , no older than twenty-seven, you need to live, work or go to school in cerritos, or work for a chamber member and that’s a member of Cerritos Chamber and since we have members in thirty-seven different cities, you can be located outside of Cerritos and you just can’t be married.

“Other than that we’re looking for any young woman who wants to utilize this opportunity and it’s a great opportunity.”

Those who choose to apply to the 2012 Miss Cerritos Contest must stop by the Chamber of Commerce office, pick up a contestant form and attend one of two contestant orientations to be held on Thurday February 23rd, 2012 at the Chamber of Commerce office.

Undecided major Olivia Richards said she feels the contest is sexist.

“I don’t get why there should be a glamorization of women, I don’t understand why this is still needed, this isn’t high school anymore.”

Richards does aknowledge that the contest is a good opportunity for a young woman but just doesn’t approve of the way it’s presented.

“I don’t know why it had to be presented in a Miss Cerritos Contest with like a crown and all that stuff I really don’t understand why.”

Richards said that although the Contest doesn’t appear to be a beauty pageant, it sure does personify one and she pointt out while reading through the qualifications.

“It says that you can’t be married, I think that that doesn’t make sense, it just seems very demeaning to women and I don’t approve of it, I don’t aggree with it and I don’t support it,” she said.

Anthropology major Janeth Briseno said she doesn’t think it’s neccessary for the applicants to single as opposed to married.

“I mean not married, there’s like a lot of young people married already, but like overall I don’t think it’s neccessary.”

Briseno also said the she believe in the end it all comes down to looks.

Speech and Language Pathology major Vanessa Cueva said the it does sound like a beauty pageant but does aknowledge that the Contest is a good opportunity for someone going into business.

“I guess it’s a good idea for those maybe going into business, me personally I wouldn’t be interested in something like this, but it sound like a good idea for those maybe going into business.”