CARTERVILLE - Winning the Miss Illinois pageant requires more than talent and beauty.

Participants in the Miss Illinois pageant must speak on two platforms, one of their choice and the other a state platform of "Character Counts," said Karen Sala, who works with area Miss Illinois contestants as an interview and vocals coach. Sala has been involved with the Miss America pageant organization for more than 40 years.

"So many people have the wrong idea about what pageants are all about," she said.

Three Southern Illinois pageant queens gathered Sunday at John A. Logan College for an old-fashioned values rally.

The site near the log cabin and one-room schoolhouse on Logan's campus was selected because the "Character Counts" platform is aimed at bringing values back into classrooms that were taught to children in the one-room schoolhouses, Sala said.

"We just thought this was a nice area to bring back these virtues that need to be in the classroom," she said.

Sala helped organize the event with Miss Southern Illinois Christy Jayne Stallings, 24, of Johnston City. All pageant queens in Illinois were invited to the event, and three attended.

Stallings was joined at the rally by Miss John A. Logan Meredith McCoy and Miss Heartland Ashley Hatfield. Stallings wanted to make sure the other speakers knew the purpose and significance of the event before speaking.

"I don't want you to feel like this is a speech you're giving," she told the other pageant queens in advance. "I want this to be something that comes from your heart."

About 10 people showed up for the event, most of whom were family members of the participating queens. Stallings said the hot weather and Father's Day may have kept people away, but numbers were not what mattered anyway.

"It's not so much the number we need to worry about but the message," she said. "If I can help one child, one community, we're doing something right."

Stallings' platform is one of stopping the chain of violence. She has worked with programs such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education in schools.

"I've got that save the world motto and want to help everyone I can," she said.

McCoy, 21, of Cary chose a platform of alcohol awareness education.

McCoy's grandfather died at a young age because of alcohol, and she wanted to help prevent things like that from happening to others.

Once she entered college, McCoy started an organization called HOPE, which was aimed at providing social events that would be an alternative to drinking.

"It's really had a big impact on my life," she said.

Hatfield, 24, of Anna also chose a platform with a personal impact. Hatfield's grandmother died of breast cancer, but she had never had a mammogram or administered self tests.

Hatfield said doctors may have been able to diagnosis her grandmother sooner if she had done these things. That led her to choose a platform of breast cancer awareness for women of all ages.

"That's something that's near and dear to my heart," she said.

Stallings, McCoy and Hatfield will travel to St. Charles for the Miss Illinois pageant next week. The finals will be Saturday, June 30. If one of the Southern Illinois pageant queens is selected as Miss Illinois, she will compete in the Miss America pageant.

adam.testa@thesouthern.com / 351-5031