THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 5, 1995 TAG: 9502030251
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Stacey Holland may not be tall, but she has lofty ambitions.
The five-footer is an entrant in the Miss Virginia Teen USA pageant.
It is a forerunner to the Miss Virginia USA Pageant, a forerunner to the Miss Teen USA Pageant, which is a forerunner to the Miss USA Pageant, which is a forerunner to the Miss Universe Pageant.
The Nansemond River High School junior, 17, will be judged on beauty, poise, physique, personality and intelligence.
She is busy raising $425, her entry fee, as well as expense money for the April 21-22 event in the Paramount Center For the Arts in Bristol.
``My mom, dad and friends will be there,'' Stacey said.
That includes boyfriend Fred Puckett, who is helping raise some of the cash, as he did with her previous pageant.
Stacey was fourth runner-up in Miss Junior Teen of Richmond in 1990.
``I have faith in myself, faith in God,'' she said.
Contestants have interviews with judges, participate in an opening dance number and parade in evening gown and bathing suits.
``I'm not fond of the swimwear part,'' Stacey said, ``but if that's what it takes. . . .''
There is also emphasis on accomplishments. Stacey performs with The Singing Exhortations of Magnolia United Methodist Church. The group will go on tour later this year.
She is a second-year sign language student at school.
``I love it now. I'm thinking of a possible career - teaching the hearing impaired,'' said Stacey. She divides her time between Nansemond River and Paul D. Camp Community College, taking a dual credit history course.
``I'm majoring in liberal arts at Camp and minoring in education and science,'' Stacey said - ``something to fall back on if I don't `sign' for a living.''
The honor roll student is a member of the Sign Language Club, a peer facilitator, conflict mediator and clinic aide.
Stacey, who works part time as a dental assistant for Drs. Heriford and Heriford, sinks her teeth into writing.
``I love writing poems and stories,'' she said. She won the citywide Young Authors Award two years and had a poem published in the National Book of Poetry in 1991.
The subject was an important and popular one - don't drink and drive.
``I won an essay contest on why I choose not to take drugs,'' said Stacey, who was awarded a $100 savings bond from the Suffolk City School Board.
Stacey lives on Godwin Boulevard with her parents, Doug and Beverly.
Dad owns Quality Paint & Wallpaper; mom is Nails by Beverly in Ethel and Eve's Beauty Shop on North Main Street. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Stacey Holland
Isn't fond of swimwear competition
by CNB