VALDOSTA – Lowndes High School student Shayla Jackson will compete as one of the youngest beauty queens in  the Miss Georgia Teen USA competition in McDonough. 

Contestants for the pageant must be between the ages of 14 and 19. Jackson, who is 14, will be one of the two youngest contestants competing.

“Me being 14, there’s not a lot of girls who go for the bigger pageant,” Jackson said. “I do it so I can show girls that if they put their mind to something, they can achieve it and become better at it. With me being hearing impaired, I want to show them that a disability doesn’t stop you from doing what you want to do.”

The 2016 pageant marks a change in the competition. The traditional swimsuit competition has been changed to “active wear.” The Miss Universe organization decided teens can wear a sports bra and athletic pants versus a swimsuit.

Both Jackson and her mother, Shanta, agreed the change will make girls feel more comfortable on stage.

The pageant is broken into active wear, evening gown and, for the top five, interview categories.

Thanks to a previous pageant, Jackson won a custom evening gown and custom active wear outfit for the contest.

Another difference at the pageant is that Jackson will be without her mother for the weekend of the pageant.

Once arriving at the Henry County Performing Arts Center Nov. 17, Jackson and her mother will part ways.

“The rules are that parents can’t be in contact in person. I have to do my own hair and makeup and I room with another contestant,” Jackson said. “I’m excited and nervous. I’ve never been on my own like that.”

Luckily, Jackson shared that all the rumors of beauty pageant catfights are just that: rumors.

“The girls all help each other,” Jackson said. “If you ever need help, you can ask. I am able to make friends from all different places. You make a lot of friends doing this, more than you would think.”

The Miss Georgia Teen Pageant will take place Nov. 17-19 at the Henry County Performing Arts Center. It will also be live-streamed with a link on Greenwood Productions Facebook page.

No matter the outcome, Jackson said she plans to continue doing pageants and hopefully adding to her prizes and scholarships. 

Desiree Carver is Lifestyles Editor at the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be reached at (229) 375-5777.