It was her first pageant, and she came away a winner.
Paisley Chantler, a local cheerleader with the CheerStrike Royals in London, recently traveled to Toronto for the Miss Teenage Ontario pageant, and you can now call her Miss London Ontario. She not only earned that title, but will also move on to represent the city at the Miss Teenage Canada pageant in August.
Why did she do it?
“Pageants are a great way for girls like me to get out there and meet new people and try new things,” said Chantler. “After experiencing a severe concussion – and then the world pandemic – I decided to try something new. The sound of building lifelong friendships and gaining more confidence in myself interested me.”
She also did it to stand up for a cause – something she feels strongly about. Each pageant participant chose a ‘platform’ to support, and Chantler’s was addressing bullying and exclusion.
“I have chosen to take a stand,” she said, noting that she’s experienced and has been impacted by bullying – including physical and verbal assault and harassment – in both elementary and secondary school. “I want to visit schools and sports clubs in order to get my message across. I will be working with an organization to promote my platform through fundraising and media.”
And by being crowned Miss London Ontario, Chantler now has a platform to bring attention to that ‘platform,’ which is important to her. Her goal is to help create change within the community and on social media.
“We need to make positivity present in our world today,” Chantler said, adding that she’s also looking to get involved with local businesses. “I am a true believer in working together. I believe this is a chance to share my story and stand up for what is right. As Miss London Ontario, I believe it is important to take this opportunity and make change.”
Contributions by Paisley Chantler
