Miss Provo fulfills dream

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    By TIFFANY TERR

    Girls everywhere dream of competing in a pageant, wearing a beautiful dress and being crowned at the end of a night of talent and performance. Not many young women actually see this day, but the dream came true for Camille Heckmann, 20, of Orem on June 15.

    That night, Heckmann was crowned Miss Provo at the scholarship pageant sponsored in part by Provo City in association with the Freedom Festival.

    “I always wanted to be in the Miss Provo pageant,” said Heckmann of her participation in the event.

    This pageant was not Heckmann’s first experience with pageant life. In 1993, Heckmann was crowned Provo-Orem Junior Miss, and last November she won the title of Miss Utah Valley, a title which was revoked upon winning Miss Provo.

    The contestants for Miss Provo were judged in three categories: talent, which made up 40 percent of their score; interview, which made up 30 percent of their score; and evening gown, which made up 15 percent. The Provo Scholarship Pageant opted to scratch the swimsuit event, which usually fills the other 15 percent, so the scores were adjusted accordingly.

    The state pageant still requires the swimsuit competition, however, and Heckmann is looking forward to participating in the event.

    “Swimsuit is a good part of the pageant; it shows that a woman is physically fit,” Heckmann said. “I’ve been dancing a good part of my life, so I feel prepared for it.”

    Although dancing for 9 years has helped prepare Heckmann for the swimsuit competition, it was her piano virtuosity that she chose to display in the talent portion of the competition. Heckmann, who has studied piano since the age of 4, performed Scriabin’s Etude in D sharp minor the night of the pageant.

    When the evening culminated in her being crowned Miss Provo, Heckmann felt that she was deserving of the title.

    “I was qualified and I was really hoping that I could display to the judges that I had the confidence to fill that position,” Heckmann said. “I just kept thinking ‘When do I start?’ I wanted to get going on things.

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