With only seven girls nationwide selected as Miss Elementary America, it’s unlikely that more than one winner will be selected from a state. It’s even more unlikely they will both be from the same area of a state.
Yet this year, Miss Elementary America First Grade Millie Jean Melancon and Miss Elementary America Fourth Grade Anslee Guy are from Southeast Texas.
“It’s just never happened before with two Texas girls, from the same area at least, which is crazy cool and mind blowing,” Millie Jean’s mother Ashley Melancon said. “It just shows how big of a pageant area that we live in.”
In July, Millie Jean, a Fannett native, and Anslee, a Nederland native, won their respective categories in the pageant in Little Rock, Arkansas.
As winners of Miss Elementary America, Millie Jean and Anslee received a cash prize, cruise, modeling contract, crown box, American Girl shopping spree, wardrobe, photoshoots, crown and sash, among other prizes, according to the pageant’s website.
Anslee’s mom Cassie Guy said her daughter was very excited to have competed and won.
“She’s just honored and excited to be from Texas and represent Texas all across America, and just have all these amazing memories,” Cassie said. “Then it’s just extra special to be able to do these things with Millie, with having Millie so close to us logistically. It’s just really cool.”
The girls have been competing in local and regional pageants since they were toddlers. In fact, neither of them competed in a state or national competition until the Miss Elementary Texas and Miss Elementary America competitions.
Cassie said her favorite parts of having her daughter in pageants is seeing the confidence it gives her.
“It’s been fun watching (Anslee) grow and seeing her confidence grow, and watching her socialize with her peers and adults, professional adults,” Cassie said. “I’m just impressed by her confidence for being only nine years old, and I know that in the long run, that this will be something that will benefit her in her future career and things like that.”
Ashley said she also enjoys seeing her daughter’s confidence in her abilities grow. When Millie Jean competed in her first pageant she did not win, so since then her motto has always been, “either win or you learn.”
In fact, when the winners were announced at Miss Elementary America, Millie Jean was mind blown and couldn’t believe her name was called.
“This has been the best year of my life,” Millie Jean said.
