Kinley Dean Jackson, daughter of Kelsey McCluster, is the reigning Tiny Miss Charlotte County and Little Miss Chesterfield County Fair.

Jackson will be competing for the title of Tiny Miss Eastern America in Roanoke in November.

Jackson will compete in the areas of gown, schoolwear, swimsuit, photogenic, winter wear, runway modeling, cover miss and talent. The Tiny Miss America Pageant is based on scholarships and savings bonds for the futures of the young girls who compete. Jackson loves doing pageants and says, “They are fun and you meet a lot of new friends.”

The Eastern America pageant is based on natural beauty, sportsmanship, talent and personality. Jackson only competes in natural, semi-glitz pageant and is not a “Tots and Tiaras” kind of princess. Jackson is extremely excited about her upcoming competition, but needs the help of her community and business owners.

Jackson is only 6 years old and is not encouraged nor required to have a platform, yet she feels the need to have one. Jackson has been touched by the story of Carson McCall and his family, and feels a need to use her God given talent of pageantry to raise awareness of Leukodystrophy and raise money to help this loving family.

Carson is from Red Oak, and his parents are Teri and Jarrod McCall. Carson has recently been diagnosed with Krabbe Disease. Although there is no cure, he is going through procedures and treatments at Duke Medical University to slow down the progression of the disease.

As part of a National Pageantry system, Jackson is required to sell advertisements for the program book. The program book will be seen by thousands of people along the East Coast who attend the pageant. Generally, the advertisements are purchased by individuals, families or businesses who support the contestant. The ads are good luck messages to the contestant and pictures of the child who is competing. Jackson has decided to change things up in the pageant world and introduce her platform “Krabbe Disease: Team Carson” through her pictures and advertisements to bring awareness to Leukodystrophy. This will not only be the first time in this pageant system someone so young has chosen a platform, but the first time a platform will be introduced through photography.

Anyone interested in buying an advertisement to help raise awareness for Krabbe Disease and help the McCall family, please contact Jackson’s mother via email at kelsey.mccluster@live.longwood.edu.