Three years ago, a 5-year-old girl named Bailee Henry began to dream. She entered her first National American Miss pageant in Santa Clara. She had no pageant experience but knew she loved being on stage.

That year Bailee earned a place in the top 10 but didn’t make the Queen’s court. She did take home Most Photogenic, which earned her a trip to Nationals in Anaheim and intensified her dream of one day becoming Miss California.

In the same pageant in 2010, at the age of 6, Bailee was named First Runner Up in the Queen’s court. She attended Nationals for the second time and this time came home with Top Model First Runner Up out of 85 girls. Bailee was more determined than ever to make her dream come true, so she worked hard for the next eight months preparing for this year’s pageant.

On July 30, competing against 50 girls in her 7-9 age division, Bailee was crowned 2011 Miss California Junior Pre-Teen. She also won Miss Photogenic, Most Promising Model, Miss Personality and Most Ticket Sales. She earned the First Runner Up title for Casualwear, Top Model and Talent, plus Second Runner Up in the Actress category.

Bailee will now travel with National American Miss as visiting royalty and help crown other girls at pageants all over the United States. She was awarded $1,600 in cash, a modeling scholarship with John Robert Powers, a paid trip to Nationals, two tickets to Disneyland and two tickets to a tour of Hollywood while she attends Nationals on Thanksgiving week.

Bailee is the daughter of Douglas and Kishla Henry of Brentwood. She enjoys shopping, taking pictures, modeling and being a Flyer for the Black Diamond All-Star Competition Cheer Team. She has enjoyed strong support from friends and family – including 16 of them cheering her on at the recent pageant.

Bailee’s pageant sponsors were D&K Automotive Repair, Brentwood’s Co. Co. County Wine Company, Wayne E. Swisher Cement, Virtual Planet Visual Solutions, Brett and Dafne Swisher, Crystal Rice, Memaw Margaret, Memaw Judy and Papa and Mom, Dad, Skylar and Zackary.

The National American Miss Pageants are a natural pageant for “Today’s Girl” and “Tomorrow’s Leaders.” The pageant program is based on inner beauty, poise and presentation, and offers an all-American spirit of fun for family and friends. Emphasis is placed on the importance of gaining self-confidence, learning new skills and good attitudes about competition, and setting and achieving personal goals. The pageant seeks to recognize the accomplishments of each girl while encouraging her to set goals for the future.

At the National pageant, Bailee will have the opportunity to win her share of more than $500,000 in cash and prizes – not to mention a shot at the prestigious title of National American Miss National Junior Pre-Teen Queen.

– Contributed by Kishla Henry