Local 5th Grader Double Crowned at Miss New York Beauty Pageant

By Kami-Leigh Agard

This past Sunday, February 23, Arverne resident, Kelli Ford, walked off the stage with not just one, but two, crowning achievements at the East Coast USA (ECUSA) Miss New York Beauty Pageant, held at the Sonesta Hotel event space in White Plains, N.Y. The 10-year-old, the only queen double-crowned amongst the hundreds of contestants at the highly competitive pageant, won ECUSA’s Miss New York “Junior Miss Overall Most Beautiful” and “Overall Miss Actress/ Star Search Champion.” However, what’s even more endearing about the fifth grader is not just her natural beauty and academic achievements, but her ongoing efforts to pay it forward to homeless children.

At just 10 years old, Ford is represented by Bercy Talent Management, and already has quite a chock-full resume. At Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School, located in Far Rockaway, year after year, she has been on the Principal’s List and Honor Society for her academic achievements. At her school’s upcoming spring theatrical production of “Annie,” she’s currently in rehearsals for the starring role of Ms. Hannigan. In last year’s production of “The Lion King,” Ford played the principal role of Queen Nala. Her other after-school activities include dancing with local troupe, Roc Nation, athletics cheerleading, ballet, tap, gymnastics, track and field, soccer, swimming—the list goes on.

As for pageantry, Ford is no newbie. Just this past January, she was crowned “Ultimate Grand Supreme” in the age nine-plus category at Darling Divas National Pageant, and last October, she and her mom scored “Mommy & Me” crowns—tall as skyscrapers—also at the Darling Divas Pageant. Plus, she’s won Flipping Fabulous, Ms. Celebrity Spotlight and more pageants. As for the screen, she’s appeared on the show: “IMPACT x Nightline: DANCE MOMS: Behind the Curtain.”

However, despite her impressive resume and sparkling crowns to match, upon speaking with the 10-year-old, you realize Ford still possesses a sweet innocence and curiosity about the world.

For example, last summer, Ford helped with a donation drive for homeless children, and even spoke about the topic at Rockaway RISE. Her mom, Cassy, shared, “We visited quite a few homeless shelters, and Kalli watched as the children came up to the table for clothing and food. She asked if the children have beds they could call their own. It became her passion because she was determined to help,” Cassy Ford said.

Her daughter added, “It’s really sad to see people with a life that that they don’t deserve. Especially when they’re mostly nice and they don’t get to have all the resources that other people have.”

As for preparing for the pageant, she admitted it was hard work. “Every Thursday, I had to go to practice and learn the routines. And it was really kind of hard, but eventually I picked it up, and got it. But my favorite part was doing Star Search because I didn’t have to do a lot of routines. I just had to model and show off my personality, and it showed who I truly am and what I do,” she said.

When asked what it was like to hear her name called as a winner on the stage, Ford said, “On stage, I felt prepared and felt like I was going to do really good. So, I wasn’t worried about anything ’cause I had a lot of practice. When my name was announced: ‘Junior Miss Overall Most Beautiful,’ and ‘Overall Miss Actress | Star Search Champion,’ I was really excited because I knew that my hard work paid off.”

Judging from ECUSA’s 2025 State Guide, gone are the days when little pageant girls were powdered and prepped to look like six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey.

Instead, ECUSA encourages natural beauty and has strict guidelines for hair and makeup for each age group, which ranges from zero to nine, 10 to 11, and 12 plus. (Note: women in their 50s, 60s and beyond also successfully compete!). For example, contestants nine and under are encouraged to just wear lip gloss, clear mascara and natural hair (unless the individual has a medical condition necessitating hair pieces). Ford, who falls in the 10 to 11 age category, was also restricted to wearing clear lip gloss. Regarding blemish concealer, the guidelines state: “We understand that covering blemishes can help boost confidence onstage, but please remember that ECUSA does not judge contestants on ‘facial beauty,’ instead we focus on overall appearance and looking your personal best.”

ECUSA was founded by Lauren Handler, an advocate for bringing joy and fun to children, who was taken away from this world by cancer in 2022 at the age of 38. Her family then founded Handler Hope Foundation, an organization dedicated to research and awareness of breast cancers.

When Ford’s mom, Cassy, was asked what led her to introduce Kalli (who has a twin brother, Kaci), to the pageant world, she answered, “I met a fellow mom at a party, and she said, ‘Yeah, my daughter does pageants.’ And I’m like, okay, so how does that work? And then we exchanged numbers and she said that she will work with Kalli. So, we started doing introductory pageants and Kalli did amazing. And now we’ve been building up to the state and national levels.”

And now with two Miss New York titles, plus more pageants under her crown, Ford is primed for the ECUSA Nationals in July, and said that she is confident with her mom at her side.

When asked who’s her role model, Kalli Ford frankly stated, “My mom because she always inspires me to do different things, and always make sure that I am prepared and have amazing opportunities.”