From: JMAV Pageant Committee
Date: February 11, 2012 9:17:12 PM PST
To:

Subject: Important Information Relating to Recent Events

Dear 2011 JM Queens and Families:

The media has recently been used to infuse our communities with information relating to the revocation of the title of Junior Miss Antelope Valley 2012 from Aspen Brito. Unfortunately, some of the information was unfounded and untrue, and much was missing.

The Junior Miss Atelope Valley Committee, in part, has been instrumental in this pageant for over 15 years. During this time we have organized volunteer fundraisers in local communities and collected over $85,000 dollars for Antelope Valley charities. We take pride in nurturing the growth of confident, articulate young women like you, and giving them an instrument to open their capacity for community outreach.

At no time in the last decade and a half, with over 225 contestants, has there ever been a local community queen whom entered the pageant that did not meet the clearly stated age requirements. The rules, including age requirements, are presented in writing to a contestant and her family, which are to be reviewed in their entirety for one month before they are signed and returned to the Cmmittee. On the day of orientation the signed rules are due, stating the contestant and her parent(s) received, read, understood, and agreed to comply. In addition, the rules are reviewed (read aloud as a group) and discussed one by one, and each contestant and family is provided the orientation booklet, which also includes the rules. This year was no exception and somehow, one family overlooked the age requirement.

Having never had a situation occur in the past and trusting contestants, families, and local community directors carefully consider and are aware of each rule, the Committee also overlooked that one queen was not of qualifying age for the JMAV title; this was an honest oversight by the Committee.

It is important you are aware that at no time prior to or following the pageant did a contestant’s parent approach the Committee to demand to view Aspen’s birth certificate or personal information, or to maliciously inform us Aspen did not meet the age requirement.

The Committee overheard Aspen was not of competitive age from another, in passing. The Leona Valley director was immediately contacted and Mrs. Brito called the Committee shortly thereafter. At no time did the Committee make any “demands” on the family other than a simple request to meet right away. The family was understandably upset and although they stated they would call us back, they never did; and the last we heard was a man in the background saying we would hear from their attorney. After waiting several hours for their return call, the Committee left a message for the Leona Valley director and we have not personally heard back from either since that time.

This admittedly is a difficult situation for all involved. We are committed to the rules and feel we must do the right thing by considering each of you (16 contestants and families) who worked hard and were of proper competitive age. Aspen is a charming community queen and the Committee was overjoyed when she received the title that afternoon; however, it was not a title she was eligible to win. Although it might be easier to allow her to maintain the title, we feel strongly we must do the right thing for all involved. The title has therefore been revoked, and a new JMAV Queen has been contacted and has accepted the title, and she will be announced shortly.

Sincerely,

JMAV Pageant Committee

JMAVsparklequeen