Miss Barstow and Teen Miss Barstow’s promise of friendship got them through

BARSTOW — Alyx Burnett and Anne-Shirley Harpole made a promise to each other last year. The two friends, both Barstow High School students, have competed in the Teen Miss Barstow competition for the past three years. After the letdown of losing last year’s competition, a rough experience for both of them, the friends made a pact.

“Last year was a rocky year,” Harpole said. “It showed us a lot and built our confidence. So last year (after the competition), we looked at each other and promised to run together this year.”

The promise paid off on March 15, when Burnett, 17, won the title of Miss Barstow 2008 and Harpole, 16, was crowned Teen Miss Barstow 2008.
Burnett, who said she is still trying to process the turn of events, believes she and her friend won because it’s their time to make a mark in the world.

“I believe God chose me and Anne-Shirley for a reason,” she said. “Us being together and being a team, we’re going to make a difference.”

Harpole plans to volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club during her term, while Burnett said she expects to volunteer at after-school programs and work on increasing attendance at the area schools.

The girls are excited to perform the duties of their position, from conducting ribbon cutting ceremonies to competing in the international pageant in Mazatlan, Mexico, in February.

“I look at my crown every morning and night and try it on,” said Burnett.

“Every time I look at the crown I remind myself that I wear the crown — the crown doesn’t wear me,” Harpole said. “That means being your own person and sticking to your morals and what you think.”

Outside of the pageant circuit, Harpole and Burnett stay busy being teenagers. Both take dance lessons in ballet, tap, jazz and point. Burnett also teaches classes at the Kim Harris Dance studio and is a varsity cheerleader. Harpole holds down two part time jobs, at the Cold Stone Creamery ice cream shop and PacSun skate and surf clothing outlet.

In their free time, Burnett said she likes to do “the regular teenage things” like watching movies or grabbing a cup of coffee with friends.
“We like to go shopping a lot,” Harpole said. “We shop all the time and go to Starbucks and go to the movies and to work.”

Although the girls both aspire to following in fellow Barstonian Raquel Beezley’s footsteps to become Miss California USA, both friends have ambitions beyond the beauty circuit. Burnett, who is taking classes at Barstow Community College to get ahead on her college career, is thinking of joining the Coast Guard when she graduates high school. Harpole plans to attend Barstow Community College for two years after high school, then transfer to California Baptist University to prepare for law school, with plans of becoming a corporate lawyer.

The $2,000 in scholarship money awarded to Miss Barstow and the $700 to Teen Miss Barstow will help the girls on their paths.
In return, Burnett promised, the two friends will do their best to make Barstow proud.

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