POULSBO — Mandalyn Van Swearingen, Makenna Cardoza and Arianna Griffel know a thing or two about the roads that lead to a Miss Poulsbo, Miss Kitsap and even a Miss Washington title.

Although all three have yet to reach their teens, the trio shared the past year with Miss Washington Kristen Eddings, Miss Poulsbo Brenna Gardner-Brown and Miss Kitsap Sheila Spiker.

Each of the girls participated in the Miss Poulsbo/Miss Kitsap Little Sister program in 2006 and Sunday afternoon shared those experiences with this year’s group at the Miss Poulsbo/Miss Kitsap Tea Party at the Poulsbo Sons of Norway.

“I’m very excited. Kristen has changed my life,” Van Swearingen said as she had the honor of following Eddings on her journey from being named Miss Kitsap to winning the Miss Washington Pageant and being in the top 10 at the Miss America Pageant.

Even though she didn’t attend Miss America in Las Vegas, Nev., Van Swearingen said she still had a pageant party at her house the night it aired on TV.

Eddings’ win at Miss Washington gave Griffel the chance to serve as Miss Kitsap’s Little Sister when Spiker assumed the reins in July.

“It was a lot more than I expected. We’re pretty close,” Griffel said of her relationship with Spiker.

“It’s so, so awesome,” Cardoza said. “I enjoyed going shopping with Brenna and just hanging out.”

Even though she has a big sister of her own, Cardoza said she now has another big sister, who is “a lot nicer.”

Of the three, Van Swearingen was the most focused on her future plans after spending a year with her Big Sister.

“I’m going to run for Miss Poulsbo when I turn 18,” Van Swearingen said.

Sunday’s event brought out some former contestants, who are making another push for both the Miss Kitsap and Miss Poulsbo crowns along with a newcomer or two.

“I’m so much more prepared this time than I was when I ran the first time four or five years ago,” said Miss Kitsap contestant Megan Hornbuckle.

As a senior in high school, Hornbuckle said she didn’t feel as ready for the pageant rigors as she does now.

“I found out who I was in that time, and I know what I want to do in life,” she said.

Even though she has lost touch with her Little Sister from her first pageant run, Hornbuckle said she is excited about meeting her new Little Sister and serving as a mentor to her.

While she is no stranger to the pageant realm, Miss Poulsbo contestant Alex Duchemin said this year is the first time she’s had the opportunity to have a Little Sister as part of the experience.

“I’m so excited that a young girl will see what pageants have brought to my life,” Duchemin said. “I see it as a big deal.”

Even with two pageant titles to her credit as Miss Viking Fest 2002 and Miss Whatcom County 2005, Duchemin said, “I’m really not a pageant girl, but it’s paid for almost all of my education.” s

As an elementary education major with an emphasis in children’s literature at Western Washington University, Duchimen said she is scheduled to receive her degree on the same night as the March 24 pageant.

“This is a big deal to me, and through pageants I’ve been able to do a lot of things,” she said.