Youth Pageant Of America Company says they will enter my daughter in pageant after we pay an upfront fee of $480 ripoff Wheaton Maryland

Good part: (my report username isnt my real name due to privacy)
Okay,so there is good and bad to this pageant. Hi, I was in this pageant last year as the age of thirteen. I am a shy quite girl who doesnt talk much and didnt have alot of friends. I was shy, but I did well in school. Youth Pageant of America did not only help me to speek in public without being nervous but I learned how to talk in an interview and how to present myself to society that I will cherish for a life time. This year I am President of my school and popular!

Bad side:
Not only did we spend money on the dress, shoes, stockings, hair, accesories, and make-up but then on top of that I had to get a casual outift. Even though I won first runner-up, it was alot of money!!! Then ontop the fee of 450 was nothing, there was more money and then when we went to pay at the rehearsal, we gave extra money and they wouldnt refund!!!! Even a mother that we were friends with did it on purpose to see if they would give the extra she gave and they did not. If you were to enter the photogenic contest or essay you had to bring in a pic of your daughter and pay an additional fee. I got accepted to Nationals, but the total cash I would have owed (I did not attend) would be more then $1000 plus an extra outfits for the contests. Also, the chaperone that would go, THEIR EXPENSES WAS NOT PAID!!! FOr a weeks worth stay at Disney's Coronado Springs. I wish they wouldn't have charged so much just to be in there. Basically, you are paying for confidence for your daughter and it doesn't sound as great.

Gina:

I can understand your frustration about the pageant senario. I believe that it was somewhat decieving to recruit your daughter in this way. However, there are two things you need to know about the pageant world that hold true for all pageants that I have encountered.

First, the pageant industry is huge and it is a business. They may make a difference in people's lives. Pageants have boosted my self-esteem and opened many doors for me personally, but they are there first and foremost to make money. This is true of almost all pageants, including the three big ones...Miss America, Miss USA, and Mrs. America.

Second, almost all pageants have an entrance fee that can be obtained through sponsorship. I totally understand that this seems like a "scam", but it is standard for all pageants, including the one's above. The cost of pageants has prevented me from competing in pageants in the past. When I was able to raise money, I was finally able to compete.

I do not know much about the pageant you are talking about, but I have heard of it. It is only in its second year, so it is just getting started. However, if your daughter is interested in pageants, this may be a good place to start. Since their intial contact left a bad taste in your mouth because it was sneaky,

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

look into a pageant that may be better for the both of you! This way, she can live her dream and you won't be the bad mom anymore :)In the mean time...good luck!

My name is Kimberly and I have been working for Youth Pageant of America for a year out of the two that it has been producing pageants across the United States. And I just want to respond to the previous person, Gina, whom stated that Youth Pageant of America was a "rip off". I believe whole-heartedly that Youth Pageant of America is a wonderful organization helping young woman accomplish their dreams. It is not a rip off; but a great program that promotes leadership and life skills development for young women. Gina and her daughter did not participate in our program and therefore did not experience what a valuable program it is for young women. Each young woman is given the opportunity to work directly with one of our distinguished pageant directors (Marshawn Evans, 3rd Runner-Up Miss America 2002; Julie Laipply, Miss Virginia USA 2002; Jennifer Pitts, Miss Virginia 2005) at our teaching sessions to improve their interview skills, public speaking skills, and confidence on stage. They also then participate in our rehearsal and professionally directed pageant (Which is produced by Kevin Howard who also produces the televised Miss Texas America pageant). Our contestants get a tremendous value out of our program; just look at all our testimonials from contestants and parents which you can view at our website (www.youthpageantofamerica.com)
In terms of the $480 sponsorship fee, which Gina talked about, there is no upfront fee. Contestants raise sponsorship, which they pay on the day they receive the service. Each contestant raises a sponsorship of $240 for the teaching session and then $240 for the pageant. In addition their sponsorship goes to pay for our prize packages, and our winners to go to our National pageant. Please don't let one person's quote and/or comments discourage you from participating in this program. Sincerely,

Obviously, this is just a way to get $480 out of parents who want good things for their children.

You would get little or nothing for the money. In fact, once they saw that you were an idiot, they'd ask for even more money! d**n crooks.

You need to explain this to your child, because the frauds are getting worse everyday. Someday she will be working and making money of her own. You need to show her how to hold onto it.

Mention this to other parents you know. No sense of them getting cheated either.