Confidence carries contestants to top of competitions
 

Not all people appreciate Gwinnett County as a place of great beauty --- unless, of course, you're talking about pageants.

At least six major title holders --- Miss Teen Georgia America 2002, Diana DeGarmo; Miss Georgia USA, Erin Haney; Miss Asian America, Fala Chen; Miss National Teen, Chelsea Morgan; Miss Georgia Teen International, Megan McCachren; and Mrs. Georgia America, Kara Colquitt --- all hail from Gwinnett.

Colquitt, a resident of Snellville, is one of the most recent winners in this dynasty of Gwinnett beauty queens.

"I want to be a role model for other married women," said Colquitt, 28. "I want to emphasize the importance of self-worth and making time for yourself."

Finding time for herself might be a bit difficult these days. When Colquitt isn't modeling for clients, such as Rooms to Go and ImageSpa, she works as marketing director for her husband's advertising company.

She also has three children, ranging from 20 months to 9 years. And, of course, she has the Mrs. America pageant to get ready for in September.

"I'm training for it almost every day," Colquitt said. She works out several days a week at Heavenly Bodies and trains almost daily at the Premiere School of Self-Improvement and Professional Modeling in Duluth --- a mecca for churning out winners from Gwinnett.

"Gwinnett has more pageants than any other county in the state," said Premiere owner Denita Florance. "I'd say there's about 25-30 every year."

At Premiere, contestants learn how to properly walk, talk, apply makeup, style their hair and improve interviewing techniques.

"We had every state winner last year come out of here," Florance said. "I'd say in the last five years, at least half of the state winners have been from Gwinnett."

Colquitt said the coincidence is uncanny.

"I think it's good breeding," she said with a laugh. "I don't know, there must be something in the water."

Miss Teen Georgia America 2002, Diana DeGarmo, also is from Snellville. She said the city's attitude has an impact on its success.

"Snellville's motto is, 'Where Everybody is Somebody,' and for the people who grew up here, they've always believed that," 16-year-old Diana said. "Maybe people here believe in themselves more."

Fala Chen, the first Miss Asian America from Georgia, is from Duluth. The 21-year-old Emory University student said Gwinnett's growing diversity leads to a greater pool of contestants.

"The fast development has brought so many new people and ideas to Gwinnett," said Chen, who will represent the United States in the Miss Chinese International pageant in January.

Miss Georgia USA, Erin Haney of Lawrenceville, also sees a local connection.

"Gwinnett is so large and diverse that I think I wanted to make my mark and stand out," said Haney, who is hosting Turner South's series "3 Day Weekend." "It's opened many doors to my entertainment career."

Local pageant photographer Joe Whiteko said Gwinnett's wealth also helps.

"Pageantry is not a game played best by the poor," said Whiteko, who has shot more than a dozen Gwinnett winners. "The general affluence of the county plays a significant role in this success story. In major pageants ---excluding children's pageants --- the winning contestants have to have a fashionable wardrobe, physical beauty, which generally requires the help of an orthodontist and dermatologist, a fit figure, which means a personal trainer, photographs, hair styling, and the means to come up with entry fees."

Gwinnett's competitors often stand out.

"They are just better prepared, and they expect to win," Whiteko said. "Their confidence carries them to the top of most competitions, and they are a formidable presence at any major pageant."