The International Cinderella Scholarship Program, founded in 1976, has grown into the largest and most prestigious scholarship oriented pageant system of its kind in the world. Throughout its 40+ year history Cinderella has championed the need and value of higher education for women and has promoted that goal by awarding millions of dollars in cash college scholarships to young women from the United States and a host of foreign countries. Cinderella is based on a 3 tiered system of competitions. Participants start out on the Local level and based on their performance can advance to the State level of competition (or national level for foreign countries) and then proceed to the final level of competition, the International Pageant.
Meet The Director - Kelli Harvey
Celebrating 24 Years as the
Texas Cinderella Director!
Kelli Harvey has been actively involved in pageantry as a contestant, parent, judge, instructor and director for over 47 years. She has been involved with the Cinderella Scholarship Program since 1989, when her daughter Lindsey became the 1989 Texas State Cinderella Tot. Kelli became a preliminary director in 1990 and later was named the Texas State Coordinator in 1991. After a hiatus from Cinderella, Kelli once again became involved as the Houston Area Preliminary Director in 1999 after Lindsey won the Texas Cinderella Teen Title. Through the years, Kelli co-owned and directed another pageant system, was a highly sought after judge and modeling coach, co-founded the South Texas Pageant Expo and was on the board of directors of the Miss Southeast Texas Scholarship Pageant, a preliminary to the Miss America Organization.
In June of 2000, Kelli was given the opportunity to purchase the Texas State franchise for the Cinderella Scholarship Program and become its "first" State Director after 24 years of being owned and directed by Cinderella's International Headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In one short year, she introduced Cinderella to over 300 Texas families and has since watched it become one of the largest and most competitive states in the entire program. Kelli believes that pageants should be for the kids, which are why thousands of Texas families have become involved in the Texas Cinderella Program year after year. After many years of participation in other children's pageant systems, Kelli realized that Cinderella was different and her beliefs were the same as theirs. She liked the ideas and Cinderella's philosophies of "real kids in real clothes". Expensive "pageant" wardrobes, choreographed modeling routines, heavy makeup and false hair, was not what Cinderella, nor Kelli believed in. She liked the family atmosphere Cinderella provided and the idea of this being a year-long program, not just a weekend pageant. “Our kids and their families have all become part of the Texas Cinderella Family, and we are there for each other. You will never find a more positive experience in children’s pageantry.”
In 2004, Kelli, added another dimension to her Cinderella resume as the Oklahoma State Director. She helped rebuild the Oklahoma Cinderella program as she did in Texas, until she turned over the directorship in 2007. In 2013, she once again took over as the Oklahoma State Director until she could find her permanent replacement in 2017. In 2023 Kelli became the new director of the Louisiana Cinderella Program.
Under Kelli's direction, Texas has had more International winners than any other state in the program. Kelli assures everyone, that once you try Cinderella, you will never want to leave. It’s something about the magic, the Cinderella magic that is. Cinderella is about family, friendships and fun & honest competition. Come see for yourself and experience why Cinderella is the most sought after youth scholarship program of its kind in the world.
In June of 2000, Kelli was given the opportunity to purchase the Texas State franchise for the Cinderella Scholarship Program and become its "first" State Director after 24 years of being owned and directed by Cinderella's International Headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In one short year, she introduced Cinderella to over 300 Texas families and has since watched it become one of the largest and most competitive states in the entire program. Kelli believes that pageants should be for the kids, which are why thousands of Texas families have become involved in the Texas Cinderella Program year after year. After many years of participation in other children's pageant systems, Kelli realized that Cinderella was different and her beliefs were the same as theirs. She liked the ideas and Cinderella's philosophies of "real kids in real clothes". Expensive "pageant" wardrobes, choreographed modeling routines, heavy makeup and false hair, was not what Cinderella, nor Kelli believed in. She liked the family atmosphere Cinderella provided and the idea of this being a year-long program, not just a weekend pageant. “Our kids and their families have all become part of the Texas Cinderella Family, and we are there for each other. You will never find a more positive experience in children’s pageantry.”
In 2004, Kelli, added another dimension to her Cinderella resume as the Oklahoma State Director. She helped rebuild the Oklahoma Cinderella program as she did in Texas, until she turned over the directorship in 2007. In 2013, she once again took over as the Oklahoma State Director until she could find her permanent replacement in 2017. In 2023 Kelli became the new director of the Louisiana Cinderella Program.
Under Kelli's direction, Texas has had more International winners than any other state in the program. Kelli assures everyone, that once you try Cinderella, you will never want to leave. It’s something about the magic, the Cinderella magic that is. Cinderella is about family, friendships and fun & honest competition. Come see for yourself and experience why Cinderella is the most sought after youth scholarship program of its kind in the world.