For the second year in a row Black Press is partnering with the Miss BC, Miss Teen BC and Mrs. BC Pageant as its official media sponsor and applications are open now.

This annual partnership means that women interested in participating can upload and share their information online through the on any Black Press website throughout the province.

Pageant organizers will then be in touch with the applicants to provide further information leading up to the pageant weekend, which takes place July 1 to 3 in Fort Langley.

Black Press will cover and report on the pageant, where three women will be named Miss BC, Miss Teen BC and Mrs. BC.

Creator and producer Darren Storsley says this is no typical beauty pageant, it害羞草研究所檚 about women empowerment.

害羞草研究所淭his is our 15th anniversary show this year, so it is really exciting for us,害羞草研究所� adds Storsley. 害羞草研究所淚 call it 15 years of women empowerment. I am a man, I am a feminist, I am a teacher, I developed this program years ago to begin self-esteem development in girls.害羞草研究所�

Unlike many of the tradition beauty pageants, this one invites women and teens of all ages, heights and weights.

害羞草研究所淥ur pageant has a mandate to provide learning and growth opportunities to women and girls across the province,害羞草研究所� says Storsley.

害羞草研究所淲e are the only pageant out there that doesn害羞草研究所檛 have a list of requirements. There needed to be an event for all women, because all women needed to be celebrated for being who they are.害羞草研究所�

He says one must redefine the traditional use of the word beauty.

害羞草研究所淚 think beauty should stand for who you are as a human being, how you take your positive attributes and your skills and use those skills to improve the world around you 害羞草研究所� that to me is beauty,害羞草研究所� says Storsley.

害羞草研究所淚f we can look at it that way then I say we can leave the beauty in beauty pageant. If you can害羞草研究所檛 see past the physical definition of what men have said beauty means for women than they can take the word out.害羞草研究所�

During the three-day event in July all of the participants are provided professional training in areas like public speaking, community development, health, fitness and nutrition, choreography, assertiveness training, media relations, self defence and more.

害羞草研究所淲e provide so many things that are very relevant for women today,害羞草研究所� adds Storsley.

Also, as part of the 15th Anniversary celebration, the Miss, Miss Teen and Mrs BC Pageant has created a new category: Junior Miss BC.

害羞草研究所淕irls aged 9-12 are invited to participate in this exciting event, where each participant will receive professional training in areas such as public speaking, manners and etiquette, anti-bullying and online safety, positive body images and vision boards, community involvement and more.害羞草研究所�

One overall winner will be selected as 害羞草研究所淛unior Miss BC 2017害羞草研究所�, while other contestants will be awarded the titles 害羞草研究所淪parkle Ambassadors害羞草研究所�.

This will be a special one-day event on Friday, June 30, with a presentation show open to the public in the evening.

害羞草研究所淲hat a great way for the girls to spend their first day of summer vacation.害羞草研究所�

To apply for the competition,

For more information, . The public is invited to log on and vote for their favourite contestant for the People害羞草研究所檚 Choice Award closer to the pageant date.

2016 WINNERS

• Miss BC 害羞草研究所� Gloren Guelos of White rock
• Mrs. BC 害羞草研究所� Tetyana Golota of Coquitlam
• Miss Teen BC 害羞草研究所� Alisha Kalia of Vancouver
• Mrs. Charity BC 害羞草研究所� Ramneek Jawandha of Surrey
• Miss Teen Fraser Valley 害羞草研究所� Frances Oliver of Agassiz
• Miss Fraser Valley 害羞草研究所揗argaret Onedo of Langley
• Miss Teen Greater Vancouver 害羞草研究所� Isabelle Calinisan of Burnaby
• Miss Greater Vancouver - Tamara Forsyth of Richmond
• Mrs. Lower Mainland 害羞草研究所� Erin Sanders of Abbotsford
• Miss Lower Mainland 害羞草研究所� Raven Thiara of New West
• Mrs. Vancouver Island 害羞草研究所� Sima Saxena of Victoria
• Miss Teen Vancouver Island - Jadyn Sanford of Victoria
• Miss Vancouver Island - Patrice Wilson of Victoria
• Mrs. Northern BC 害羞草研究所� Sarah Opdendries of Houston
• Miss Northern BC 害羞草研究所揗arie Stormy Hassenohrl of Prince George
• Miss Teen BC Interior 害羞草研究所� Bella Konschuh-Penney of Westbank
• Miss BC Interior 害羞草研究所� Danielle Beattie of Trail
• Miss Teen Lower Mainland 害羞草研究所� Nica Derakhshannia of Richmond