It started with one casual click of a computer mouse, but in August, it could end with a national title for West Kent’s Jessica Killoran.
The teen, who is a Grade 10 student at Tilbury District High School, is now a finalist for the Miss Teenage Canada pageant.
Killoran recently competed in the provincial competition, being named one of 17 Ontario finalists from a list of 40 who will compete at the national event in August. She holds the title of Miss Teenage Chatham-Kent Essex.
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For the 15 year old, who is more at home with a paintbrush in her hand than high heels on her feet, it’s been a whirlwind experience, one that began with that fateful click.
“It was really spontaneous. I was on Facebook and saw an advertisement. I ended up submitting an application and I got a call back,” she said. “I was just looking through the website and thought it would be really fun. It all happened very fast. I was not expecting this at all. It wasn’t a dream I’ve had for a while.”
Killoran said while she has interests in fashion, she’s more into painting and drawing, and hopes to pursue such passions at the post-secondary level.
She interviewed for a spot in the Miss Teenage Canada competition in November and was accepted in December.
And in late January, she competed.
“We left for Toronto on Friday (Jan. 23). Saturday morning we had training from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Sunday, we had more training and more makeup.”
The pageant took place 7 p.m. Sunday.
“It was a lot of work. I think the worst part was the heels. We practised walking in them over and over again,” she said. “I wasn’t too thrilled about putting the heels on the next day; the second day was probably the worst.”
Yet she did, ultimately earning a trip to the nationals, which will take place Aug. 2-10 in a still-to-be-determined location.
Killoran stressed there is much more to the pageant than beauty and fashion.
“It’s fun getting all dressed up and your makeup done, but that definitely isn’t all there is to it. To become Miss Teenage Canada, it takes more than looks. It takes self-confidence. You need to be a good role model,” she said. “I find myself very positive. I try to create a good mindset wherever I go.”
Her goal now is to get out there and get noticed in Chatham-Kent, Essex and Windsor.
“I’ll be attending various events and parades. I will be trying to do a lot of volunteer work,” she said. “And a goal is to get people on my Facebook page and see what I’m doing.”
Generally, whatever she will be doing, she’ll do it with friends.
“My friends have been there for me through all of this. They’re all really excited for me,” she said.
