WESTBROOK – Nicole Labbe, a Westbrook resident and junior at Deering High School in Portland, spends most of her free time dancing. She is on the Senior Company Jazz Team at Dance Studio of Maine and dances roughly 10 hours a week, studying jazz, contemporary and ballet.

However, this weekend Labbe, 16, will step out of her immediate comfort zone and compete in her first Miss Teen Maine USA pageant. The pageant, which will be held Saturday, Nov. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 1 at South Portland’s Sable Oaks Marriot, is the preliminary round to decide who will represent Maine in the Miss Teen USA pageant in the Bahamas, in August 2014.

Contestants in the pageant are judged on three phases of competition including swimsuit, evening gown and personal interview. Among prizes awarded to the winner are cash, wardrobe prizes, interviews with top talent and modeling agencies, jewelry, and an evening gown to be worn in the national pageant.

Although Labbe lives in Westbrook, she has attended St. Patrick’s and St. Brigids in Portland, and decided to transfer to Deering for her freshman year. Labbe’s mother was a teacher at Deering, and Labbe spent time there growing up. She has reached out to a number of local businesses, and has been sponsored by Westbrook businesses such as Don’s Lunch, Tom & Jerry’s car wash, the Greater Portland School of Jukado and more. She also seeking $1,200 in competition support via crowd sourcing on the GoFundMe website.

The American Journal caught up with Labbe this week as she’s gearing up for her first Miss Teen Maine USA pageant:

Q: When did you become interested in participating in pageants? How many have you competed in?

A: I became interested in doing the pageant because one of my friends did it a couple of years ago. My mom happened to see an ad for an open call in South Portland, and I decided to try for it. This will be my first pageant.

Q: What was the selection process like for Miss Teen Maine?

A: The open call was an information presentation and interview to see if we would be a good match for the pageant. I was really nervous and cried during the interview. Since then I have been to the orientation day where I met all of the girls who were competing and we learned about interviewing, hair and makeup, health and fitness and walking on a runway. The next time I see the girls will be pageant day.

Q: Why do you see this as a personal goal?

A: It’s really helped me with my confidence to go out and talk to people. I want to be as comfortable speaking to people as I am dancing in front of them.

Q: You have quite a lot of sponsors supporting your bid. How did you achieve so much local support?

A: A couple days each week I would visit businesses and explain what I was doing and ask for their support, and I set up a GoFundMe site so it was easy for people to donate online. Everyone has been really nice and supportive.

Q: What will you do if you win?

A: If I win I will use some of the prizes and money toward preparing for the Miss Teen USA and some for college.

Q: Do you have goals for after high school? Any plans for college?

A: After high school I would like to audition for “So You Think You Can Dance” and attend a college where I can study psychology and dance. I am interested in working with people who have dyslexia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Nicole Labbe, a Westbrook native and junior at Deering High School in Portland, is competing to be Miss Teen Maine USA this weekend. If chosen, Labbe will represent Maine in the Miss Teen USA 2014 pageant in the Bahamas in August 2014.