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Terez Howard
EARNS TITLE – Twelve-year-old Kaylee LaPosta earned
the title of Pre-Teen West Virginia on Monday in the
Senior Division, for girls ages 10 to 12. She also won
a community service award and placed third runner-up
in the talent division. The Weirton resident will
represent the state July 3-8 at the 2007 Pre-Teen
America National Competition in Baton Rouge, La.j
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Excitement overwhelmed this Weirton girl when she was named
the Pre-Teen West Virginia titleholder.
Kaylee LaPosta won the senior division competition for ages
10 to 12 at the scholarship and recognition program on
Monday in Charleston and will represent the state July 3-8,
2007, in the 2007 Pre-Teen America National Competition at
the Holiday Inn-Select in Baton Rouge, La. There,
participants will have the opportunity to compete for more
than $25,000 in educational bonds, prizes and awards.
“I felt very excited and extremely surprised,” Kaylee said.
Her mother, Kimberly LaPosta, explained what her daughter
will do next.
“She gets to travel all over the United States and visit
other states and get to represent the state of West Virginia
at a lot of different functions. So we’ll be busy.”
Kaylee, who will hold her title until Labor Day next year,
will be attending numerous other state competitions, giving
speeches, performing talents and meeting other young ladies
in the country.
“I feel excited, and I hope I make many new friends while
going to these competitions,” the seventh-grade Weir Middle
School student said.
In addition, the scholarship program — based academic
achievement, volunteer community service, school honors and
activities, development of personal skills and abilities,
general knowledgeability, communicative ability and on-stage
expressiveness and overall pre-teen image — granted Kaylee a
$1,000 educational bond.
Speaking of her involvement in the program, Kimberly said,
“I think it’s been great for her education. Kaylee was a
very shy person. She’s basically learned a lot of
confidence. She’s set goals and worked hard toward them, and
she met her goal.”
Kaylee said, “What I hope to gain out of this experience is
be a positive role model for pre-teen girls and that they
can set goals and achieve them by working really hard.”
Kimberly noted that her daughter is the only one she knows
of who has won the title north of Parkersburg.
“We’re just so excited,” Kimberly said. “I was standing
there bawling for 15-20 minutes. It was a very emotional
time since it was her last competition.”
Kaylee now is 12 years old, making her ineligible to compete
again.
“It made me feel sad a little bit, because I have been with
this program for so long,” she said.
But her fifth and final year participating proved to be her
greatest success.
In addition to the overall win, Kaylee received a community
service award, scoring the highest in the state for her
amount of community service. She has been involved with the
Hancock County Animal Shelter, Girl Scout Troop 3157,
Goodwill, United Way and the Salvation Army.
“I would like to encourage girls to help out in their
community, because they should give back to their
community,” Kaylee said.
She, who has been studying at Michelle’s Dance Studio for 10
years, also was the third runner-up in the talent
competition for her dance routine to a Broadway musical,
“Cats,” tune.
Kimberly said, “Her father (David) and brother (Kevan) and I
are just very, very proud of her cause she’s worked so hard.
We’re just so proud of her for her accomplishments and
everything she’s achieved.”
Kaylee, third runner-up in the 2005 state competition, is
the granddaughter of Robert and Sharon Wagoner.
Terez Howard can be contacted at
thoward@weirtondailytimes.com |