Balbriggan beauty poised for pageant success

A 16-YEAR-OLD
north county Dublin girl will be representing Ireland next month in a bid to be
crowned Europe’s Perfect Teen.

Beautiful Jade
Marrey, from Balbriggan, has already earned the title Ireland’s Perfect Teen
and is looking forward to competing against dozens of other teenagers in the
next stage of the beauty pageant, which takes place in Wales.

Participants in
the competition will have to model swimwear, fashion wear and an evening gown,
as well as undergoing an interview round. They also must demonstrate that they
have taken part in 10 charity events or appearances.

Speaking to
Northside People, Jade explained how she decided to pip the pageant
requirements by setting her own personal target of helping 30 charities in 30
days.

“I’m having so
much fun,

? she said.

“I’ve sold pins and badges for Enable Ireland, done bag
packing for Guide Dogs Ireland, church collections for Gorta, and this morning
I helped to make meals for the local Meals on Wheels in Balbriggan.

“We had to
prepare 80 portions of potatoes, steak and cauliflower and 80 desserts.

?

Jade was also
keen to dispel the popular myth that beauty pageants are all about parading up
and down on a catwalk.

“A lot of people
think that it’s just about mothers who push their girls onto the stage, but
they don’t know all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes,

? she
stated.

“I’m really
enjoying all the volunteer work I’m doing, and I will stay involved in some of
the charities after the pageant.

“I’m doing it
not just for the competition side of it, but because I like giving something
back.

?

Jade’s mother,
Adele Marrey, also thinks that pageants can be often misunderstood.

“It’s about more
than being a pretty face,

? said Ms Marrey.

“Of course that
helps, and Jade is lovely, but to be a finalist you really have to be a perfect
teenager and do things to help other people.

“People don’t
realise that the girls who are competing are putting a huge amount of time back
into the community, and Jade just wanted to go the extra mile.

?

One of Jade’s
favourite volunteering jobs is displaying her impressive Irish dancing skills
for the Balbriggan Senior Citizens’ Group.

A European
Championship Irish dancer, Jade has recently been accepted to train to be a
dance teacher at Sallynoggin College of Further Education.

She practices
dancing five or six times a week, and dreams one day of touring with her
dancing skills or opening up her own dance school.

“I love all
kinds of dance, free style disco, contemporary and jazz as well as being a
champion Irish dancer,

? she said.

Jade has decided
to leave Malahide Community School early in order to devote herself full time
to dance training, a decision which her mother Adele said was a tough one.

“She can go back
and do her Leaving Cert at a later stage, but all she wants to do now is dance,
dance, dance,

? said Ms Marrey.

Jade will be
flying to Wales to compete in the grand final of Europe’s Perfect Teen on
October 30.

The winner of
the pageant will then be chosen to jet off for the final of American’s Perfect
Pageant in 2012.