Pageants are not just about being beautiful, says Monica Fras, a.k.a. Miss Teen Yukon.

The 17-year-old will be passing on her title to one lucky young lady in August at the first pageant for the title.

In the last couple of years, Fras has been the only Yukon candidate to enter two national pageants Miss Teen Canada International and Miss Teen Canada Global, informally making her Miss Teen Yukon.

Now she wants to give other Yukon girls a chance to compete nationally as well through the first Yukon pageant for teenagers. The winner will travel to Vancouver to compete in the Miss Teen Canada Global competition.

With 10 contestants signed up from throughout the territory, she's hoping to get five more before the pageant begins in Dawson during the week of Aug. 10-16, she said in an interview from Dawson this morning.

While the contestants will have the traditional pageant, throughout the week they'll also be volunteering with the Discovery Days celebrations.

'It's not just about make-up,' Fras said in an interview this morning.

Her inspiration for the first Yukon pageant came from the Miss Teen Canada Global event she took part in last year. It focused largely on the importance of supporting charitable organizations.

'We're here to help,' she said.

The $140-registration fee is helping to cover the costs of hosting the events of the pageant.

'It's really covering just the bare minimum,' she said, noting she's hoping more sponsors will come on board for the event.

She would like to see some sponsorship come from outside Dawson because the competition is open to all Yukon teenage girls.

'It's not Miss Teen Dawson,' she said.

Aside from the registration, the competitors have to pay for their accommodation and food, she said.

'They're pretty evenly spread-out,' she said.

When Fras put out the first call for competitors, she permitted only 10 because she wanted to keep the numbers small.

Looking to August though, she believes the contest can take in more girls and is asking anyone interested to e-mail her at missteenyukon@hotmail.com

Fras said she believes there's enough interest to have the event continue in future years.