Lorton Native Is Miss Greater Springfield

Winning a beauty contest has some unexpected benefits and responsibilities.  Lorton-raised Molly Dickerson should know: she recently was crowned Miss Greater Springfield.

Unlike what many may expect, the contest itself was not only drama-free, but a positive experience all around, according to Dickerson. Instead of acting “catty and mean,” the contestants behaved in an encouraging and supportive manner toward one another, says Dickerson. They helped each other pin dresses and made sure one another’s swimsuits wouldn’t fall off.  “No one was crying or upset. It was a very supportive environment,” Dickerson says.

For Dickerson, winning the contest means giving back to her community.  She regularly visits elementary schools to talk about the arts. The arts  are Dickerson’s “platform” for the upcoming Miss Virginia Pageant, in which she will compete in June.

“Kids do better in school if they have some form of art in their curriculum,” Dickerson says.

She mainly appears at elementary schools near Blacksburg, where she currently attends Virginia Tech as a theater major.  However, this past week Dickerson was on Spring Break and “immediately jumped into” the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Old Town Alexandria.  Dickerson was joined in a parade car with 10-year-old Addie Cameron. 

“She’s a little girl I used to babysit,” Dickerson explains. “She walks onstage with me, and goes with me to the appearances and contests.”

Dickerson is 21 and new to pageants. The Miss Greater Springfield contest was her first.  She says her mother persuaded her to enter because of the possibility of winning scholarships and making connections in the acting field.  “I’d like to be an actress later on,” Dickerson says.

She won the talent portion in Miss Greater Springfield not for acting, but for singing.  “I’ve been singing since I was a little girl,” says Dickerson.  While at Virginia Tech she has not had the chance to be in many musicals, but she sings whenever she has the opportunity. One of her main inspirations is Kristin Chenoweth, the actress and singer who stars in the TV series Pushing Daisies.  “I identify with her in terms of being little,” says Dickerson.   “She’s 4’11.” They told her she’d never be able to make it. I’m 5’1.””

Dickerson is currently blending her stage and musical talent in the Virginia Tech production of The Fantasticks, which will be Dickerson’s first musical at the school. She will be playing the lead role of Luisa in shows that begin in April.

“Theater majors are the busiest on the Virginia Tech campus,” Dickerson says. “We wake up early in the morning and we’re in rehearsal until 11 at night.” Despite this schedule, Dickerson also finds time to minor in psychology.

Dickerson lived in the same house in Lorton since she was two years old until she went to college. She attended South County High School.  Her parents, Bobbi and Mark Dickerson, still live in Lorton. Molly is their only child.

If you want to catch Molly Dickerson in the Miss Virginia pageant in June, check out http://www.missva.com/enter.htm.

She encourages other girls to get involved in pageants.  “Any girl can do it.  There’s scholarship money involved.  It’s a great experience.” 

Those interested in the Miss Greater Springfield pageant can visit www.missgreaterspringfield.com.