Each of the Junior Miss candidates is partnered with a mentor, whom we refer to as a "Big Sister," to help her through the rehearsals and preparation for the Junior Miss Program in May.

Selected by the Junior Miss Board of Directors, each Big Sister is committed to enhancing the experience of the young woman to whom she has been assigned. Big Sisters meet their Junior Miss "Little Sisters" early in the orientation process for Junior Miss. They exchange phone numbers and e-mail addresses, promising to keep in touch throughout the next few months.

Big Sisters help the girls navigate forms that need to be completed, dresses to be chosen for the big night and preparation for the talent and exercise portions of the program, among many other things. At least once a week, Big Sis will call her Little Sis to check in on her, and occasionally she will sit in the practice auditorium while Lyn Buckler-Bergdoll runs the girls through their routines.

The night of the show, Big Sisters buzz around offstage, helping the Junior Miss candidates ready themselves for each part of the quick-paced show. When the new Junior Miss is chosen, the auditorium clears, the Big Sister helps her Little Sister pack the family car, and they part ways -- often keeping in touch for months or years to come.