Siblings parlay pageant titles into helping their community

By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

Christina DeCaro has grown up watching her older sister, Maria, perfect her walk and wave and collect a closet full of sashes, tiaras and trophies. Maria, who will turn 14 on Aug. 31, has been competing in pageants since age 9.

But whenever Jennifer DeCaro asked her younger daughter if she wanted to try a pageant, too, Christina — now 7 — would coyly respond, “No, Mommy.”

Then, last year, Christina changed her mind.

“I convinced her,” said Maria.

Maria’s persuasion paid off. Christina cleaned up in her first foray into the pageant world, winning the title of Mini Miss Empire State in 2017.

The DeCaro sisters, who live in Syracuse and attend Baldwinsville schools, continue to collect wins. They competed last month in the Miss Spirit of the USA Pageant in Troy, New York, taking the top prizes in talent, modeling and sibling duo. Maria won Junior Teen Spirit of New York and Christina won her second major title: She was crowned Mini Miss Spirit of the USA and won Mini Miss Congeniality and the Presidential Bronze Award for community service.

“I put so much effort into helping her become that pageant girl, it was like I won,” Maria said of her little sister’s victory.

Between their pageant competitions and participation in Girl Scouts, Maria and Christina’s sisterhood goes beyond their biological bond.

“Girl Scouts is sisters by vest and pageantry is sisters by sash,” Jennifer said.

Through their Girl Scout activities and pageant appearances, Maria and Christina are heavily involved in community service. Each girl has a platform for which she raises awareness. Both DeCaro sisters chose a cause that affects them personally.

As a spokesperson for the American Heart Association, Maria’s platform is “A happy heart is a healthy heart.” She might seem a bit young to worry about being “heart healthy,” but Maria’s got good reason: She is the one in 300,000 people who have an anomalous coronary artery, an often asymptomatic condition that leaves her with only one functioning coronary artery in her heart.

Maria speaks to schools about heart health and staying active. She has participated in the AHA’s Go Red for Women Campaign, the Syracuse Heart Walk and Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital’s Valentine’s Day ball. Earlier this year, she took part in the AHA’s “Silent Disco,” an event in which people danced to music playing on their headphones. Heart disease is often referred to as the silent killer.

“Be a friend, not a bully” is Christina’s platform. After she was bullied in kindergarten, Christina decided to educate her classmates at Elden Elementary School about bullying. Jennifer said kids are more receptive to learning about difficult topics from a peer rather than from an adult.

“It was very painful,” Christina said of being bullied. “I didn’t want other people to feel that way.”

Christina presented on the topic to her classes in both kindergarten and first grade. She spoke about her experience, read a book about bullying to the class and handed out pencils and coloring books.

“As a parent, I set things up for her, but she makes a lot of the decisions,” Jennifer said. “She does the presentation, not me.”

Maria’s pageant and Girl Scout worlds intersected recently when she organized a fashion show to promote self-confidence and raise money for Hope for Heather, a Liverpool-based organization that raises awareness and money for ovarian cancer research. Maria helped her fellow Girl Scouts practice public speaking and walking the runway, and the girls assembled care baskets for people who are battling gynecologic cancers.

As the school year begins, the DeCaro sisters are about to get a lot busier. Maria, who is entering ninth grade at Durgee Junior High School, said she is looking forward to her classes and getting back to musical theater. Last year, she played Ursula in Durgee’s production of “The Little Mermaid.”

Christina said she is excited to see her friends again and can’t wait to see the “great fall” weather and colorful leaves.

Of course, the girls will continue their pageant appearances and prepare for their next competitions.

“This next year, I’m really excited. We’ve got a lot of things ahead of us,” Maria said.

Next month, the girls will make an appearance at the Priscilla Mahar Animal Welfare Foundation’s Canine Carnival, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at Jamesville Beach Park.

In October, Christina will compete for the New York state title of International United Miss Jr. Preteen.

“I cannot wait to win. If I win New York, I can [better help] to be a buddy,” she said.

Maria’s next big competition, which takes place in January, is the Majestic International Pageant, where she will vie for the Jr. Teen title.

“Winning one of these bigger titles, it would make it a better opportunity to take [my cause] nationally or internationally,” Maria said.

While Christina enjoys helping Maria make their dresses and prepare for competition, she said pageants are about more than ball gowns and crowns.

“I learned it’s not about winning, it’s only about having fun with family and loving each other,” Christina said.