Lake Placid resident Dawn Lightsey believes beauty pageants offer young women much more than crowns, gowns and time on stage.
Through interview preparation, public speaking, community service and business sponsorships, contestants develop confidence, poise and communication skills that can help them throughout their education and careers. Lightsey entered her first pageant when she was either 4 or 5, after being sponsored by Dr. Ibrahim in Lake Placid’s Fourth of July beauty pageant. She later became involved in dance, cheerleading and gymnastics before returning to the pageant world as a director in the early 2000s. Working with Eileen May and the Greater Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce, Lightsey directed the Miss Lake Placid Pageant for 10 years. The first Miss Lake Placid she crowned was Sierra Stayer Mills.
While continuing her career in banking, Lightsey created Southern Sass Cosmetics, a cosmetics line designed specifically for beauty pageant contestants. She later expanded Southern Sass into a retail store offering cosmetics and clothing. Her experience in banking, business and pageantry showed her that many young women were missing opportunities to develop confidence, professional communication and a strong personal presence.
Lightsey believes those skills have become even more important in an age of technology, social media and faceless communication. Young women may have fewer opportunities to practice making eye contact, answering questions under pressure or speaking comfortably before an audience.
Those abilities can make a difference during job interviews, business presentations and careers in fields such as sales, banking and marketing.
Lightsey now serves as co-director of Miss Sebring Royal Pageant with Kerri Bryant. The pageant program focuses on helping contestants develop confidence while teaching responsibility and community involvement.
Miss Sebring Royal Directors
Dawn Lightsey & Kerri Bryant
Preparing for a pageant requires work. Contestants learn how to walk, interview, speak on stage and present themselves professionally.
They are also responsible for securing sponsors from local businesses. In return, contestants represent those businesses and deliver a brief promotional message during the pageant. The process teaches them how to approach business owners, explain their goals and represent a sponsor responsibly.
The work continues after a queen is crowned. Miss Sebring Royal queens are expected to complete 200 hours of community service during their year. Their service may include public appearances, helping at community events and reading to students in local schools. Each queen must also select a platform — a cause that is personally meaningful to her. The platform gives her an opportunity to learn more about an issue, speak about it publicly and use her title to support the community. Lightsey said these responsibilities help young women learn accountability while gaining experience that extends beyond the pageant stage. Contestants may work with professional pageant coaches or use online training resources such as Pageant Planet to prepare for competition.
Lightsey also owns The Lake Studio in Lake Placid, an intimate nail studio offering nail services and custom spray tanning.
For Lightsey, the purpose of pageantry is not simply to choose a winner. It is to empower young women with confidence, communication skills, community awareness and the ability to represent themselves well.
The crown may last for a year, but the skills developed through pageantry can last a lifetime.
2026 Sebring Royal Queens
Interested in competing?
Sebring Royal includes three age divisions for young women ages 13 to 25. Contestants must either live in Sebring or be enrolled in a Sebring school. The next pageant is planned for spring 2027, with application information and dates to be announced.
